Information for Mental Health (Leeds)

Mental Health guide

• Treatment
• The survivor movement
• Your rights as a service user
• What do the professionals do?
• Having more say
• Finding your way through the system
• Care Programme Approach
• Your rights as a carer
• Benefits
• Words used in mental health

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Your rights as a carer

Community Care Assessment

If you are the carer of someone with mental health problems you are entitled to a Community Care Assessment when first contacting Social Services for help, which can lead to an agreement between you, the person you care for, and Social Services, about the help you need.  This should mean that your needs are fully taken into account when a care plan is drawn up.  You are entitled to an assessment of your own needs even if the person you are caring for doesn't want or need services themselves.  An assessment can help you in many ways, including:-

• Making sure you have a voice in decision about the person you care for
• A break from caring
• Information and advice
• Contact with people in a similar situation

Direct Payments

When you have had an assessment Social Services may be able to give you money to by services you need.

Getting a break

Social Services can arrange breaks for carers.  This can be for a short period during the day, or for longer periods.

Nearest Relative

Under Section 26 of the Mental health Act the term “nearest relative” applies to, in order of precedence: husband or wife (or a person with whom the patient lives and has done so for at least 6 months as husband or wife); son or daughter; father or mother; brother or sister; grandparent; grandchild; uncle or aunt; nephew or niece; a person with whom the patient lives and has done so for at least five years (but not as husband or wife). This order can change according to the circumstances.

If you are the “nearest relative” of someone affected by a mental disorder under the Mental Health Act you have the right to:

• ask an Approved Social Worker to assess your relative for compulsory admission to psychiatric hospital.
• apply for your relative to be admitted compulsorily to psychiatric hospital.  This application must be accompanied by two medical recommendations, one at least from a psychiatrist.
• refuse consent for your relative to be compulsorily admitted to hospital (not in all cases, however).
• discharge your relative if he or she is compulsorily detained in psychiatric hospital.