Mental health laws may be passed by Guernsey States
- Published
Guernsey's mental health legislation is going to the States for approval, after being worked on for nearly eight years.
The mental health laws date back to 1939 and have fallen significantly behind those in the UK, which were most recently updated in 2000.
Guernsey agreed to update its laws in November 2002, but it has taken till now to draft the legislation.
Deputies will be asked to approve the legislation in their July meeting so that it can be sent for Royal approval.
Critics of the present law have claimed it is outdated and prevents some islanders from receiving the treatment they need.
The delay has been blamed on the number of laws needing to be written by the Law Officers.
Speaking during a States debate in 2007, Her Majesty's Procureur said the amount of legislation generated by the States had resulted in a workload that was becoming unmanageable.