Local Authority round-up: 08/11/24
8th November, 2024
Our Local Authority round up provides brief summaries of topical information on a weekly basis, to keep you aware of the changes and updates relevant to you.
Regulatory
Government introduces reforms to the Mental Health Act
The Government has recently introduced the Mental Health Bill into Parliament in order to address the significant change in attitude towards mental illness since the original Mental Health Act was passed.
The Bill seeks to modernise legislation regarding mental illness, aiming to improve the experience of hospitals for patients while also introducing stronger protections for patients, practitioners and the general public.
This includes making it a legal requirement for each patient to have ‘care and treatment plans’ tailored to their individual needs, ensuring it is clear to both patients and practitioners how to progress to discharge. The Bill will also give patients the right to elect a person to represent their interests, allowing a greater access to advocacy when patients are detained. As well as this, the Bill will strengthen the rights of families and carers by requiring clinicians to consult those close to the patient regarding their care where appropriate or where the patient wishes.
Importantly, the Bill prevents prison cells being utilised when a patient is experiencing a mental health crisis. Instead, patients will be supported to access a suitable healthcare facility that will better support their needs.
For more information please click here.
Tobacco and Vapes Bill introduced to Parliament
The Tobacco and Vapes Bill has been introduced into Parliament this week, seeking to introduce measures to create a smoke-free generation.
Such measures include the Government’s ability to extend the indoor smoking ban to specific outdoor spaces, including children’s playgrounds and outside schools and hospitals (subject to consultation).
The Bill also aims to ban the advertisement and sponsorship of vapes, as well as grant the Government powers to restrict the flavours, display and packaging of all types of vapes. The supplements separate environmental legislation which will ban disposable vapes from 1 June 2025.
The Tobacco and Vapes Bill forms part of the Government’s reform agenda to shift the focus of healthcare from sickness to prevention by addressing one of the biggest risk factors driving poor health. It is reported that smoking claims around 80,000 lives a year in the UK, applying significant pressure to the NHS, thereby costing taxpayers £3.1 billion a year.
For more information please click here.
Education
Government to invest £1.4 billion to rebuild schools
The Autumn Budget revealed the Government’s plan to invest £1.4 billion into the education sector, ensuring the delivery of the existing School Rebuilding Programme, as well as funding children’s social care, breakfast clubs and early years childcare.
The funding commitments include (among others):
£1.8 billion to support the expansion of government-funded childcare, with a further £15 million of capital funding allocated to expand school-based nurseries;
£1.4 billion to rebuild schools, with 50 rebuilds a year hoping to deliver on promises made to parents, teachers and local communities that crumbling school buildings will be rebuilt; and
£30m towards breakfast clubs.
Primary schools can now apply for up to £150,000 of the £15 million capital funding, with the first wave set to support up to 300 new or expanded nurseries across England.
The Government hopes that the investment is evidence to support their commitment to break down the barriers to opportunity for all children.
For more information please click here.
Please note that this briefing is designed to be informative, not advisory and represents our understanding of English law and practice as at the date indicated. We would always recommend that you should seek specific guidance on any particular legal issue.
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