The Approved Mental Health Professional Practice Handbook
By Kevin Stone, Sarah Vicary and Tim Spencer-Lane
Published
Jul 9, 2020Page count
216 pagesISBN
978-1447351528Dimensions
240 x 172 mmImprint
Policy PressPublished
Jul 9, 2020Page count
216 pagesISBN
978-1447351535Imprint
Policy PressPublished
Jul 9, 2020Page count
216 pagesISBN
978-1447351535Imprint
Policy Press
The Approved Mental Health Professional Practice Handbook
Approved Mental Health Professionals are specialist professionals authorised to make ethically complex and difficult decisions on the behalf of people with severe mental health difficulties. In this complex and challenging role, AMHPs must possess and deploy a range of skills, knowledge and values. This invaluable handbook considers these challenges and provides in-depth guidance on all key aspects of the role, including:
• working with mental health law;
• risks and challenges in a Mental Health Act assessment;
• staying safe as an AMHP;
• resilience as a trainee and practitioner.
Packed with helpful features such as illustrations, chapter summaries, discussion questions and further reading lists, this clear and concise book will be invaluable to students on AMHP and Best Interests Assessor programmes, as well as for professionals in the field.
"A comprehensive approach to the essentials of practice as an AMHP, relevant for both AMHP students and experienced AMHPs. A useful addition to the literature of practice under the Mental Health Act." Steve Matthews, The Masked AMHP
“This book is concise and accessible. It provides a practical focus on contemporary AMHP work. Clear guidance and regular invitations for reflection support the development and refinement of practice knowledge.” Jill Hemmington, University of Central Lancashire
“A valuable addition that contains interesting and valuable insights both for trainee AMHPs and those who are already in practice.” Steve Chamberlain, Chair of the AMHP Leads Network
Kevin Stone is the Social Work CPD Programme Manager at the University of the West of England. He is a qualified and practicing social worker and AMHP within the south-west region of the United Kingdom and has been a social worker since 2003. He currently teaches law and practice on the AMHP programme at the University of the West of England.
Dr Sarah Vicary is Associate Head of School at The Open University. Sarah is a qualified registered social worker and has worked primarily in mental health services including as a frontline practitioner, an Approved Social Worker, manager of a multidisciplinary mental health crisis service and a senior manager for inner city emergency mental health services. Sarah was for nine years a Mental Health Act Commissioner.
Tim Spencer-Lane is a lawyer who specialises in mental health, mental capacity and social care law. He is also a senior lecturer at Kingston University where he teaches on the best interests assessor and adult safeguarding courses and a long-standing Associate Lecturer at The Open University where he teaches on Social Work Law.
Introduction;
Section One: The AMHP in Context;
AMHP practice context;
Ethical issues in applying mental health law;
Social perspectives in mental health;
The multi-professional AMHP role;
Section Two: The AMHP in Practice;
Completing a Mental Health Act assessment;
Risks and challenges in Mental Health Act assessments;
Applying the interface between the Mental Health Act and the Mental Capacity Act;
Exploring mental health treatment;
Section Three: Developing Good Practice;
Upholding rights, equality and anti-oppressive practice;
Resilience as a trainee and practitioner;
AMHP decision making.
