The mental health bill, which amends part of the Mental Health Act 1983, would allow health services to detain mentally ill patients for treatment without their permission if they are perceived as a danger to others, whether their illness is curable or not. This would include 16- and 17-year-olds. Currently health services can only detain patients with curable problems.
Louis Appleby, national clinical director for mental health services at the Department of Health, said: "Sixteen- and 17-year-olds will be treated like adults. For under-16s we will need parental consent."
He said that providing "age-appropriate" care was a matter for local services. A code of practice published with the bill covers the provision of child and adolescent mental health services.
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