Mental Health Commission calls for wider remit

The commission currently helps those detained under the island's mental health act

A scrutiny board has called for its remit to be widened to better help those detained under the Isle of Man's mental health laws.

The Mental Health Commission reviews, adjudicates, and makes recommendations about complaints regarding Manx Care.

Members of the group gave evidence to the Public Accounts Committee this week.

Lay member Ian Buxton said there were elements of the Mental Health Act 1998 that needed "updating... specifically with regard to deprivation of liberty".

He said: "We only have responsibility for patients that are detained under the Manx Mental Health Act."

This prohibited the committee from full scrutiny of patients travelling off-island for needs which could not be treated locally, he added.

'Investment in mental healthcare'

Mr Buxton outlined the commission's duties, which was to oversee what happened in hospital.

It was "primarily to keep patients safe, to make sure that the Mental Health Act is applied appropriately, that drugs, if prescribed, are given safely, if people are detained that they're detained fairly and safely with right to review", he said.

However, he said there were a number of areas where the commission was restricted, adding: "We have no mental nursing homes on the Isle of Man but we do have patients that have been in mental health care and are discharged to a nursing home".

Currently the commission had "no right to review that care", he said.

The commission would like to see the service "expanded" to help those with needs currently untreated on the island, he said, adding there had been "signals from the community that mental health has become more of a challenge".

Therefore "we may want to see a greater investment in mental health care in the future".

While there were "some changes" under way that would effect the "size and scope" of the committee's remit, Mr Buxton said there would be a "lack of scrutiny" until the "framework of law is changed".