The Mental Health Act (MHA)

Warning

The Mental Health Act (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 provides detailed information about the three main types of detention that your patients might be under: 

  • an Emergency Detention Certificate (EDC) - see part 5 of the Act (linked below in Resources)
  • a Short Term Detention Certificate (STDC) - see part 6
  • a Compulsory Treatment Order (CTO) - see part 7

STDCs and CTOs can only be completed by Approved Medical Practitioners (AMP) so you will not use these yourself during your foundation training. However you may have patients that have been detained under these orders and will therefore need to understand what this means for your patient and their care.  

Editorial Information

Last reviewed: 03/04/2024

Next review date: 02/04/2025

Author(s): Medical Education Fellow, NHS Lothian.

Author email(s): mypsych@ggc.scot.nhs.uk.

Approved By: NHSGGC MyPsych Editorial Board

Reviewer name(s): NHSGGC MyPsych Editorial Board.