I propose to take Questions Nos. 1330, 1334 and 1335 together.
Regulation 15 of the Mental Health Act 2001 (Approved Centres) Regulations 2006 requires that the registered proprietor in each approved centre must ensure that each resident, whether voluntary or involuntary, has an individual care plan. In addition, the Mental Health Commission, which has a statutory role to promote, encourage and foster high standards in the delivery of mental health services, has published a Quality Framework for Mental Health Services in Ireland. This framework provides a mechanism to continuously improve the quality of services and promotes an empowering approach to service delivery, where services facilitate an individual's personal journey towards recovery. The framework, which incorporates the Mental Health Act 2001 (Approved Centres) Regulations 2006, requires that each service user has an individual care and treatment plan that describes the levels of support and treatment required in line with his/her needs. The preparation of these individual care and treatment plans is co-ordinated by a designated member of the multi-disciplinary team, and is developed with input from the service user, the multi-disciplinary team and the service user's family/chosen advocate, where appropriate.
Issues relating to the detention of, and protections provided for, involuntary patients are dealt with in the Mental Health Act 2001. A number of protections in the Act also apply to voluntary patients e.g., rules governing the use of seclusion and mechanical means of bodily restraint. As the Deputy will be aware, the Mental Health Act 2001 is currently under review and in that context, the need to extend the scope of the Act to voluntary patients will be examined.