UAE issues a federal law on mental health

The UAE Government has issued a federal law on mental health aimed at securing the rights of patients and providing the highest standards of care.

The law applies to all matters relating to mental health, as well as psychiatric patients, mental health facilities, and other institutions concerned with psychiatric care — including those based in free zones.

Highlights

The new law is meant to:

• Redefine mental health and psychiatric patients in accordance with the latest practices and concepts.
• Prohibit the provision of mental health services without obtaining the permission of the competent authority.
• Reduce the stigma linked to mental health conditions and support the social integration of patients and their families.
• Entitle patients to receive full explanation of their rights within the mental health facility, as well as their right to submit grievances and complaints.
• Preserve the patient's right to retain their job without any restrictions and protect them from any emotional, physical, or sexual exploitation.
• Ensure the implementation of age-specific health safeguards that consider a minor patient's age group and align with their best interests.

Implementation & penalties

A dedicated monitoring committee will be established in each emirate with the specific purpose of safeguarding the rights of psychiatric patients, as well as a dedicated committee within each health facility to ensure the protection of patients' rights.

Penalties for violating the terms and conditions of the law include imprisonment and a fine ranging between AED 50,000 and AED 200,000.