What happens during a Mental Health Act assessment?
An Approved Mental Health Professional (AMHP) will carry out the assessment alongside authorised doctors. This might be at the person’s home, a hospital if an in-patient, A&E or other place of safety.
Our role is to make sure all alternatives to detaining someone in hospital have been considered. To help us decide this, we consult with professionals involved in the person’s care and family members and carers to seek their views.
We also make sure the person being assessed is fully informed about what is happening and listen to their views and wishes. We will ask questions about what they are going through and how best to help them. This will help us to establish if the person is suffering from a mental disorder and whether any presenting risks mean that hospital admission is necessary.
If detainment is necessary, we will make sure the person and their family understand the reason for the decision and explain their legal rights under the Mental Health Act.
After the assessment
The AMHP will explain the outcome of the assessment to the person being assessed. If a decision is made to detain the person in hospital the AMHP will make sure the person understands the reasons for this decision and what this means. The AMHP will talk to the person about their legal rights under the Mental Health Act (MHA).
The AMHP will also inform the nearest relative of the outcome of the assessment, the reasons for the decision and the nearest relative's rights under the MHA
Where hospital admission is necessary, the doctor will contact the NHS Mental Health Trust's bed management team to request that a bed be identified. The bed management team will inform the AMHP of the hospital where the bed has been identified.
Once a bed is confirmed the AMHP can complete their application to detain the person to that hospital. The AMHP will decide for the admission and for the most appropriate transport to the hospital.
Throughout this process the AMHP will consider any risks to the person or to others and will ensure the person is treated with dignity and respect.
Further information and support
Urgent Care Mental Health team
GOV.UK social care mental health pages
Mental Health Crisis Breathing Space