Mental Health
Our clients are patients, family members and carers throughout London, the southeast and beyond. We pride ourselves on the expertise we have developed in Mental Health Law and our aim is to combine a professional and efficient service with a sensitive and constructive approach to our clients and their problems.
We provide specialist advice, assistance and representation in relation to all aspects of Mental Health Law. These include:-
- Representation at Mental Health Review Tribunals (where appropriate obtaining independent opinions, liaising with doctors, social workers, community mental health teams)
- Mental Capacity Act 2005 proceedings
- The rights of a detained or voluntary patient
- The rights of the Nearest Relative
- Aftercare provision
- Consent to treatment
- Supervised discharge
- Guardianship
- Hospital Managers’ Hearings
- Court of Protection
- Prisoners requiring transfer to hospital under the Mental Health Act 1983 or the Criminal Procedure (Insanity and Unfitness to Plead) Act 1991
- Human Rights Act issues
- Judicial Review
- Declaratory Relief proceedings in the High Court
- County Court proceedings in relation to displacement of Nearest Relative
Cases we have been involved in include
- R v Canons Park MHRT ex p A [1995] QB 60
- R (C) v South London and Maudsley NHS Trust and MHRT [2003]EWCH 3467 (Admin)
- R (WC) v (1) South London and Maudsley NHS Trust (2) David Orekeye [2001] EWHC 1025 (Admin)
- R (M) v Mental Health Review Tribunal [2005] EWHC 279 (Admin)
Free legal advice is available and we will always advise you as to your eligibility for public funding. We encourage clients to instruct us on a public funding basis whenever it is available.
Our Mental Health Solicitors are:
Janice Kaufman, Email janice.kaufman@steelandshamash.co.uk
Frances Rattray, Email frances.rattray@steelandshamash.co.uk
Rebecca Ellison, Email rebecca.ellison@steelandshamsh.co.uk
Matthew Seligman, Email matthew.seligman@steelandshamash.co.uk