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Mental Health Bill [HL]

moved Amendment No. 56: 56: After Clause 37, insert the following new Clause— ““Ill treatment of patients (1) The 1983 Act is amended as follows. (2) In section 127(3)(a), leave out ““six”” and insert ““twelve””. (3) In section 127(3)(b), leave out ““two”” and insert ““five””.”” The noble Baroness said: This is a very brief point, which has been proposed to me by patients’ groups, who feel that the penalties for ill treatment are derisory. As noble Lords know, prosecutions for ill treatment of mental health patients are very rare. We understand that this is because of the numerous factors that go into producing an abusive situation, particularly in institutions, which we are all too aware of in light of the Orchard House report. Occasionally there is indeed one person at fault. I have seen many cases where these people have been self-selected into working with vulnerable people because of the power that they can exert over the lives of the vulnerable. Some quite horrendous cases come to light. Then there are the exceptional cases which really must be prosecuted. It seems to patients’ groups that we should have realistic penalties. These people need rooting out, particularly from services, before they can do harm. They are people for whom prosecution is appropriate and for whom real penalties are needed. I beg to move.