[4] It introduced significant changes which included: During the Act's development, there were concerns expressed that the changes proposed by the Mental Health Bill were draconian.

As a result, the government was forced in 2006 to abandon their original plans to introduce the Bill outright and had to amend the 1983 Act instead.

[7] Despite this concession, the Bill was still defeated a number of times in the House of Lords,[8] prior to its receiving Royal Assent.

As of 2010[update], the Green Party supported a reform of the Mental Health Act in order to remove transgender people from the Psychiatric Disorder Register, which they view as discriminatory.

[9] In Labour's 2024 Manifesto, they stated that the "Mental Health Act discriminates against Black people who are much more likely to be detained than others," and that they will "modernise legislation to give patients greater choice, autonomy, enhanced rights and support, and ensure everyone is treated with dignity and respect throughout treatment.