Our Commissioners make sure that the powers of the Mental Health Act are used properly.
The skill is to get an accurate snapshot, in the space of a day, of what that ward is like for the people there.
Steven, MHA Commissioner
Read about a typical ward visit.
Find out more about what a commissioner can do for you.
Mental Health Act Commissioners come from a variety of professional backgrounds, from doctors to lawyers, and are independent of the service providing care.
They can visit patients detained in hospital and meet with them in private to find out about their experiences.
Where requested, they can also meet patients who are on a community treatment order.
Commissioners can…
- Listen to your issues
- Raise problems with ward managers
- Help patients write letters or complain
- Check paperwork
- Publish reports on wards
Commissioners can't…
- Discharge patients
- Arrange patient transfers
- Offer medical advice
- Give legal advice
- Arrange leave for patients
Acting Together visits
Some visits are carried out by a commissioner and a person who uses mental health services. These are known as Acting Together visits. Find out more:
