RC Role — MRCPsych Paper B MCQ

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EasyMental Health LawRC RoleMRCPsych Paper B

Under the Mental Health Act 1983 in England, who has overall responsibility for the case of a patient detained under Part 2 of the Act?

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Correct answer: D — Responsible Clinician (RC)

The Responsible Clinician is the approved clinician with overall responsibility for the detained patient's case. The RC need not be a doctor: appropriately qualified professionals from several disciplines may become approved clinicians. An AMHP has important statutory responsibilities during assessment, admission and community-treatment decisions but does not hold overall responsibility for the ongoing case. Hospital managers exercise organisational and statutory functions, including arrangements for allocating an RC, rather than assuming clinical responsibility themselves. A SOAD provides an independent second opinion and may certify specified treatment under the Act. The CQC monitors how the Mental Health Act is used in England but is not responsible for an individual patient's care.

Reference: Department of Health, Reference Guide to the Mental Health Act 1983, paragraphs 9.27–9.29, 2015. https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/417412/Reference_Guide.pdf