Why Kerrie Wooltorton was not Sectioned Under the Mental Health Act

Have just been on 'Fighting Monsters', one of my favourite social work blogs. Cb, the intrepid author, gives a very good explanation of how a clinician is meant to decide whether a patient should be treated under the Mental Health Act or the Mental Capacity Act. Basically, if you are treating the patient for a physical condition, then you treat under the MCA. If you are treating for their mental condition, then you treat under the MHA. Kerrie Wooltorton came under the MCA, because the condition that they were treating her for was physical (an overdose) although the condition that had caused it was a mental one. You can read cb's analysis here..