Lesson 1: Why the Act matters · 9 min
Before you begin · A fictional admission · Check your understanding
Three pieces that work together
Learners prepare on their own, you answer questions live, and the surveys tell you what stuck. 2 fields to fill in with your own policy, contacts and locations; each one is highlighted inside the course.
What would you do?At 11pm, Ellie, a fictional informal inpatient, insists on leaving. She is very distressed and has said she wants to end her life. The duty doctor is 45 minutes away. You are a registered mental health nurse. Every person and organisation in this case is fictionalConsider whether the conditions for section 54 are met; if they are, use it, make the record and call the doctorLet her go, since she is informalLock the ward door without using any power
Live deckQuiz · 4 slidesContent · 1 slideWord cloud · 1 slideScale · 1 slide
Feedback surveyHow much do you agree with each statement? I can:How often do you work with patients detained under the Act?What do you most want to get from this course?Overall, how would you rate this course?
6 lessons, about 45 minutes
What learners can do at the end of each lesson. Minutes are an estimate.
Lesson 2: The principles · 8 min
The five guiding principles · Sort the decision · Check your understanding
Lesson 3: Sections and holding powers · 8 min
The sections you will meet most · Holding powers · Practise
Lesson 4: Rights and safeguards · 8 min
Rights information and advocacy · Tribunals, hearings and consent to treatment · Practise
Lesson 5: Leave, aftercare and paperwork · 6 min
Leave, aftercare and the Mental Health Act office · Check your understanding
Lesson 6: Final assessment · 6 min
Final assessment · Course complete
Often taught together
Courses teams often run alongside this one.
Nursing Professional Development
Clinical reasoning and structured case presentation (opens in a new tab)
Nursing Professional Development
Valid consent, breaking bad news and just culture (opens in a new tab)
Nursing Professional Development
Safe use of AI and digital tools in clinical practice (opens in a new tab)
Also listed in
Nursing Professional Development United Kingdom AhaSlides Healthcare & life sciences Mental health services Regulated & licensed firms Legal, compliance & risk Nurses & clinical staff Clinical staff
Common questions
Yes. The course, the live deck and all three surveys are free. Claiming the template into your AhaSlides account is free too.
Yes. The course is self-paced and online, and the live deck lets you add a live session in the room or online.
At onboarding or as continuing professional development, with a yearly refresher (best practice).
Nurses, healthcare support workers, junior doctors, allied health and administrative staff on mental health wards and in community teams in England and Wales; run by MHA administrators, ward managers or education teams.
Record completion in your own LMS or record system, so you can show who finished the course and when.
Yes, everything. Change the wording, swap scenarios for ones from your workplace, add your logo, or remove parts that don't apply.
Your own details, each highlighted inside the course:
- Link to your live session deck
- Add your Mental Health Act office contact
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