Approved Mental Health Professional

Section 114 of the Mental Health Act 1983 provides that a local social services authority may approve a person to act as an approved mental health professional for the purposes of the Act, but a local social services authority may not approve a registered medical practitioner to act as an approved mental health professional — the role is deliberately kept independent of the medical profession. Before approving a person, the authority must be satisfied that he has appropriate competence in dealing with persons who are suffering from mental disorder, and regulations may govern the period for which approvals last, the courses to be undertaken before and during approval, and the conditions attached to approval.

The approved mental health professional (AMHP) role, introduced by amendments to the 1983 Act, opened up a function previously reserved to the approved social worker to other professions meeting the competence requirements, though in practice AMHPs remain predominantly social workers. Approval is given by a local social services authority whose area is in England or in Wales respectively, and the appropriate national authority (the Secretary of State for England, or Welsh Ministers for Wales) may make regulations about how approvals are granted and maintained.