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Mental Health Bill [Lords]

We discovered in Committee that two Committee members had helped to administer this treatment at one time or another. We all understand that ECT is highly invasive, involves sedation, inflicts fits, leads to amnesia and can involve physical restraint, the removal of false teeth and so on. Like acupuncture, it is a treatment that is hard to explain. In a letter, the Minister explained that it is used in a rather strange diversity of cases. For under-18s, it has been used for anorexia, depression, bipolar disease, schizophrenia and obsessive compulsive disorder. It works in some of those cases, albeit temporarily, and although it is addictive its long-term effects do not seem to be conclusively bad. As it is so invasive, it needs to be used with exceptional care. Some consultants will not use it at all, and for others it is a last resort. Its appropriate use therefore needs to be heavily circumscribed for all, not only for under-18s. The Bill contains definite limitations. For example, the clinician must certify"““in writing that the patient is capable of understanding the nature, purpose and likely effects of the treatment””." I doubt that anyone in the UK truly understands the nature, purpose and full likely effect of the treatment, but none the less that is a useful set of words. The Minister has added further words—no fewer than 17 new clauses—so we cannot complain and we will support the changes.