Approved Mental Health Professional (AMHP)

This module is mandatory for AMHP training and meets professional body requirements to enable students to develop skills and demonstrate competence to carry out the duties of an AMHP in practice and undertake all tasks of the AMHP in co-ordinating the assessment process, identifying social interventions where needed and alternatives to hospital where appropriate and/ or effecting admission where required, managing others in the process, in an accountable way and in accordance with legal requirements

INDICATIVE CONTENT

Supervised practice to include:

• Shadowing then leading assessments under the Mental Health Act (1983) (amended 2007.)
• Developing assessment skills in crisis situations with a range of service users from differing backgrounds, ages, with different disorders
• Completion and rectification of forms for detention/ admission
• Presenting at a legal hearing-e.g. tribunal or S135 application to a magistrate
• Communication skills e.g. Working with interpreters or signers
• Challenging unethical practice if observed
• Ensuring social dimensions are explored in the assessment process
• Attend recall days
• Attend supervision sessions to critically reflect on AMHP practice

This module aims to provide students with the knowledge of the legal and policy framework required to undertake statutory duties and roles specified in the Mental Health Act 1983 (amended 2007) and the skills to demonstrate competence in applying the law in supervised practice according to professional codes of practice and ethics.

INDICATIVE CONTENT

Detailed examination of the Mental Health Act (1983 amended 2007),

Overview of associated legislation the Mental Capacity Act (2005/ 2007), Children Acts (1989, 2004), Human Rights Act (1998).

National and local Codes of Practice

Service users’ and carers’ perspectives

Relevant case law

The AMHP role, powers, accountability and responsibilities

The AMHP role - interpreting and applying legally defined threshold criteria in complex practice situations (risk, rights, judgements and dilemmas in decision making).

Other statutory roles within the legislation that interface with the AMHP role

The AMHP role in inter-professional practice 

The aim is to engage students in the values and ethical dilemmas that underpin specialist mental health practice and statutory roles within the often contested debates concerning evidence from research. It is a mandatory module for those undertaking AMHP training and meets specific requirements of the regulatory body.

INDICATIVE CONTENT

Service user and carer perspectives particularly in relation to statutory interventions

Values of recovery, social justice and challenging inequality that underpin mental health practice

Codes of Practice and Codes of Ethics

Ethical dilemmas involving balancing rights and risks

Epistemological standpoints and paradigms of mental health including social perspectives

Specialist topics e.g. substance use; race and mental health; psychiatric diagnosis and treatment; pharmacology

Topical, relevant research findings and examination of the evidence base that informs practice.