Lady Hale delivers Toulmin Lecture
The Right Hon Baroness Hale of Richmond delivered the John Toulmin Lecture in Law & Psychiatry last night to an audience of more than 200 students, staff and guests. Lady Hale’s lecture, entitled ‘Equality & Coercion in Mental HealthLaw – can they ever be compatible?’ marked the launch of a new programme MSc Mental Health, Ethics & Law.
In her lecture Lady Hale mentioned her judgment in Cheshire West where she had referred to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) in support of the proposition that human rights are universal and apply to all equally, irrespective of disability. She explained the principles of equality and non-discrimination embedded in the Convention and considered how far the law relating to mental disorder and mental capacity in England and Wales was compliant with those principles. She drew particular attention to the apparent conflict between article 5 of the European Convention on Human Rights and article 14 of the CRPD and concluded by considering the possible routes that might be taken to bring our law into compliance.
Professor Genevra Richardson, said: ‘The generosity of the Toulmin gift has enabled us to invite outstanding lecturers to the university, lecturers who have attracted a wonderful audience of respected guests, colleagues and students. It has done much to help us cement the productive links that exist between law and psychiatry at King’s and we remain extremely grateful.’
The John Toulmin Lecture series was established in 2012 following a benefaction from Senior Circuit Judge and former member of King’s College Council, Judge John Toulmin and his wife Carolyn. Their generous donation established a lecture series exploring issues connecting law and psychiatry to enhance a collaborative relationship between the two Schools. The 2015 lecture was the third in the series. The first was delivered by Dickson Poon Distinguished Visitor, Lord Judge and the second was given by Elyn Saks,Professor of Law & Psychiatry at University of Southern California Law School and author of The Centre Cannot Hold: A Memoir of My Schizophrenia.