Bermuda Hospitals Board (BHB) today announces that a consultation has been launched on a draft Code of Practice (the Code) relating to the Mental Health Act 1968 and subsequent amendments. As allowed by the Act, the Minister of Health has delegated the responsibility of completing the consultation on the draft Code to BHB on her behalf. The consultation opens today and will run until 4 September 2020.

The Code can be downloaded from here: Mental Health Act Code of Conduct_CONSULTATION DRAFT-July2020

Feedback should be provided by clicking on the following link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Code-of-Conduct

The Code provides guidance to medical practitioners, BHB staff and approved mental health professionals on how they should carry out their responsibilities under the Mental Health Act when providing psychiatric treatment and care for persons suffering from mental disorder. The Code will also help patients and their families to understand what they can expect from health professionals who are assisting with their loved ones’ treatment.

This is the first time in Bermuda that a Code of Practice will be available to support the implementation of the Mental Health Act, and it will come into effect on 31 October 2020. It is intended that the Code will:• Ensure that all patients receive high-quality, safe care

• Provide straightforward and accessible information about how the Mental Health Act is to be used

• Clarify how decisions should be made about people’s treatment and support when it is suspected they may not have the capacity to make such decisions

• Set out the over-arching principles that should guide the care of people who have mental health needs

• Ensure compliance with the law

• Protect patient rights

The Minister of Health, Hon. Kim Wilson, JP MP, comments: “I am pleased that BHB, on behalf of the Ministry, is sharing a draft of Bermuda’s first Code of Practice for all practitioners in the mental health field for feedback. We are looking for input from as wide a range of individuals and organisations as possible. We are particularly keen to have comments about the clarity and detail of the Code. We will review all feedback before finalising the drafting of the Code.”

If people who would like to participate in the consultation have any questions, please email Alick Bush, at alick.bush@bhb.bm.

• Press release from the Bermuda Hospitals Board