This module will be of interest to people who use mental health services, their families and carers as well as professionals with duties and responsibilities under the legislation.
The Mental Health (Northern Ireland) Order 1986 recognises that an individual with a mental disorder may at certain times, because of their illness or condition be potentially vulnerable. The Order therefore contains a number of provisions to protect their rights and these will be described in the module.
The Order gives others powers to intervene in a way that may interfere with some of the patient’s human rights, including liberty, and offers compensatory protections through its processes.
Funding
Funding from GAIN (the Guidelines and Audit Implementation Network), RQIA (the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority) and PSNI (the Police Service of Northern Ireland) has enabled this module to be freely accessible until January 2027. RCPsych retained full editorial control, and the content was developed and managed in line with our standard processes.
Availability
We are pleased to offer this module free for those without a paid subscription until 3 January 2027. If you are a member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, you can log in straight away using the same username and password with which you access the members' area of the College website. Otherwise, all you need to do is register with the College.
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Please note that this module has not been updated to reflect the revised Code of Practice (due to be launched on 9 July 2026). Work is in progress to ensure that the modules reflect the revised Code, but in the meantime the Code of Practice should be consulted by Members as part of their learning, when it is available.
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