Glossary
Allied person: Under the Mental Health Act 2000 the patient may choose an allied person. The person could be a parent of other relative of the patient a guardian or personal attorney, or any other adult. The role of the allied person is to help this involuntary patient put forward their views, wishes and interests about their assessment, detention and treatment under the Act.
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Authorized Mental Health Service: Specifically designed health services for individual assessment, continuing treatment and rehabilitation for people with mental disorders and serious mental health problems. They also provide specialised consultation and liaison services to other agencies and include a component offering expert advice to facilitate rehabilitation and promotion programs.
Capacity: Refers to a person's ability to understand the nature and consequences of decisions about their assessment, treatment or choosing an allied person and then freely and voluntarily communicating their decision.
Classified patient: A classified patient is someone admitted from court or custody.
Community mental health service: Local treatment centre where community treatment is provided.
Confidentiality Order (CO): An order of the Mental Health Court or Tribunal that forbids an involuntary patient from access to certain information (in which case their legal representative must be shown it).
Download "A Guide to Confidentiality Orders"
Electro Convulsive Therapy (ECT): A treatment for severe depression and sometimes for schizophrenia and mania. A convulsion is produced by passing an electric current through the brain. More Information
Forensic Order: A Mental Health Court order by which a person deemed not responsible nor fit to stand trial for a criminal offence because of their mental illness becomes an involuntary patient and must receive mental health treatment.
Download "A Guide to Forensic Order Reviews"
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Forensic Patient: A person required to have mental health treatment either in a hospital or in the community under a Forensic Order.
Forensic Patient Information Order:Under the Mental Health Act 2000 a victim of an offence committed by a forensic patient or other concerned person may apply for a Forensic Patient Information Order (FPIO) to receive certain information about a forensic patient including:
- When a review for a patient is to be carried out
- Decisions made by the Tribunal about a forensic patient including whether the forensic order is confirmed or revoked, and the conditions of limited community treatment that may allow the patient to have some or all of their treatment outside the hospital
- Whether an approval has been given for the patient to move out of Queensland
- Whether the patient has been transferred from one mental health service to another
- Whether the patient is absent from the mental health service without approval, and when the patient returns
Download 'A Guide to Forensic Patient Information Orders'Informed Consent: When related to decisions about treatment, giving informed consent requires that:
- the treatment has been fully explained to the person
- the person has the capacity to consent (see definition of capacity, above)
- consent be given freely and must not be obtained by coercion or due to the influence of a person of authority or due to the influence of therapeutic or other drugs or alcohol
- consent must be written and signed by the person
Involuntary Treatment Order (ITO): An order made by a qualified psychiatrist by which a person is required to have mental health treatment either in hospital or in the community.
Download 'A Guide to Involuntary Treatment Order Reviews'
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Mental Health Act: The Act of Parliament governing the care of people with severe mental illness. The Act provides for involuntary admission and treatment of a person who is considered to be a danger to themselves or others.
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Mental Health Review Tribunal: The Mental Health Review Tribunal is an independent body established by the Mental Health Act 2000 (Queensland).
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Psychiatrist: A medical practitioner who has completed formal specialist training in the study of abnormal behaviour from a medical perspective. Psychiatrists are able to prescribe medication and authorise medical treatment to people suffering from psychiatric conditions. Psychiatrists provide diagnoses and can provide psychotherapy.
Regulation: Involuntary admission and treatment under the provisions of the Mental Health Act.
Statement of Reasons (SOR): The written legal and medical reasons for a Tribunal decision, provided on written request to the patient and to certain other people who are entitled under the Act to ask for reasons.
Voluntary admission: Admission to a mental health unit for treatment that results from the client making the decision for admission and signing the necessary agreement for inpatient treatment.
