The Mental Health Act 2025 (the "Act)" contains a number of amendments to the Mental Health Act 1983 (the "1983 Act)".
	The measures in the Act are generally intended to strengthen the voice of patients subject to the 1983 Act. They add statutory weight to patients’ rights to be involved in planning for their care, and to inform choices regarding the treatment they receive. The reforms will increase the scrutiny of detention to ensure it is only used when, and as long, as necessary. The Act also seeks to limit the use of the 1983 Act to detain people with a learning disability and autistic people.
	The Act is arranged under fourteen headings:
Code of Practice
Autism and learning disability
Grounds for detention and community treatment orders
Appropriate medical treatment
The responsible clinician
Treatment
Community treatment orders
Nominated persons
Detention periods
Periods for applications and references
Discharge: process
Patients concerned in criminal proceedings or under sentence
Help and information for patients
After-care
Miscellaneous
General
Overview of the Act