APPROVED CLINICIANS
The Act has introduced two new roles of approved clinician (AC) and responsible clinician (RC) that may be filled by a range of mental health professionals.
Section 145 (1) of the Act gives the definition of
an Approved Clinician as “A person approved by the appropriate national authority to act as an approved clinician for the purposes of the Mental Health Act 1983”.
A Responsible Clinician is the Approved Clinician
who has been given overall responsibility for a patient’s case. Approved Clinicians s who are allocated as Responsible Clinicians will undertake the majority of the functions previously performed by Responsible Medical Officers (RMOs), whose ended on the 2 November 2008.
Hospital managers are responsible for ensuring
local protocols are in place for allocating RCs to
detained and Supervised Community Treatment patients. LSSAs authorise Aapproved Clinicians to act as Responsible Clinicians s for guardianship patients.
Certain decisions, such as renewing a patient’s
detention or placing a patient on Supervised Community Treatment, can only be taken by the patient’s Responsible Clinician.
WHO CAN BECOME AN APPROVED CLINICIAN
The Directons allow Strategic Health Authorities to approve a range of registered and professionally qualified Mental Health Professionals to act as an Approved Clinician. These are:-
registered medical practitioners (doctors), chartered psychologists,
first level nurses whose field of practice is mental health or learning disability,
registered occupational therapists,
registered social workers.
DOCTORS (AND ONLY DOCTORS) APPROVED AS APPROVED CLINICIAN ARE ALSO AUTOMATICALLY APPROVED AS SECTION 12(2) DOCTORS.
For further information see the new roles documents below pages 17 - 22.
POWERS OF THE RESPONSIBLE CLINICIAN
Powers of the Responsible Clinician
1) clinical lead for a patient liable to be detained or on a CTO or guardianship,
2) granting section 17 leave,
3) reviewing need for detention, CTO or guardianship,
4) discharging from detention, CTO or guardianship,
5) deciding whether to bar NR discharge from detention or CTO,
6) renewing detention, CTO or guardianship
7) recommending transfer to guardianship,
8) making a Community Treatment Order (with AMHP),
9) recalling from CTO,
10) revoking CTO (with AMHP),
11) reporting to Minister of Justice on restricted patients.
POWERS OF THE APPROVED CLINICIAN
Powers of an Approved Clinician (when not the Responsible Clinician)
1) the Approved Clinician (or doctor) in charge of the treatment of an informal patient is the one with the power to prevent a patient from leaving under section 5(2)
2) may be authorised under s24 by NR to visit and examine a patient in private,
3) may be authorised for Tribunal report to visit and examine a patient in private,
4) may be authorised by CQC to visit and examine a patient in private,
5) may provide reports to Court in some Part 3 cases.
NHS SOUTHWEST APPROVED CLINICIAN CRITERIA
APPROVED CLINICIAN APPLICATION FORM AND PORTFOLIO GUIDANCE
Application form for Approved Clinician approval together guidance on the portfolio for NHS Southwest.
Guidance for Chartered Psychologists
Interim guidance for Chartered Psychologists seeking approval and acting as Approved Clinicians
