The Mental Health Bill has received Royal Assent.

The law is designed to better protect patients with severe mental illness.

The legislation, will reform the Mental Health Act of 1983, which provides the legal framework to detain and treat people in a mental health crisis who are at risk of harm to themselves or others.

The reformed Act will ensure patients have stronger rights and greater control over their treatment through new statutory Care and Treatment Plans.

Families and carers will also have more involvement in decisions around treatment.

Racial disparities in treatment will be addressed through clearer guidance for mental health professionals.

The Act will also strengthen the rights of children and young people to make their wishes and feelings more central to decision making.

Courts will now not be able to detain someone in prison as a place of safety whilst they wait for a hospital bed for treatment or assessment under the Mental Health Act to become available.

Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said: "For too long, thousands of vulnerable people in mental health crises have been failed by outdated laws that stripped away their dignity and voice.

"The new Mental Health Act will transform lives by putting patients back in control of their care, tackling the unacceptable disparities that have seen black people detained at disproportionately high rates, and giving NHS staff the tools to deliver care that truly helps people recover.

"This delivers on our manifesto commitment to finally bring mental health care into the 21st century. After years of neglect, we are rebuilding a mental health system to treat people with the dignity and respect they deserve."

Baroness Merron, Minister for Mental Health, said: "It has been a privilege to guide this landmark Bill through Parliament on behalf of thousands of patients and families who have campaigned for change.

"These reforms address longstanding injustices in our mental health system. Patients will now have a genuine say in their treatment through statutory Care and Treatment Plans. Families will be properly involved in decisions. And we’re tackling the unacceptable racial disparities that have seen Black people detained at over three times the rate of white people.

"Today we’re delivering the modernisation that patients, families and clinicians have been calling for."