Adult Social Care Glossary, v 0.6

An approved clinician is a mental health professional approved by the secretary of state or a person or body exercising the approval function of the secretary of state. Some decisions under the Mental Health Act can only be taken by people who are approved clinicians. All responsible clinicians must be approved clinicians. An responsible clinician is the approved clinician with overall responsibility for the case. Certain decisions (such as renewing a patient's detention or placing a patient on a community treatment order) can only be taken by the responsible clinician. The 2007 amendments to the Mental Health Act 1983 introduced the roles of approved clinician and responsible clinician, enabling mental health professionals other than psychiatrists to carry out duties previously performed by psychiatrists. The introduction of these roles was intended to deliver enhanced quality of care while also ensuring the best use of our skilled and professionally diverse workforce. It is therefore important to ensure the approved clinician is the clinician with the right set of skills to address the patient's main treatment needs.

Who are the "person[s] or bod[ies] exercising the approval function of the secretary of state" in respect of Approved Clinicians? What is the difference between Approved Clinicians and AMHPs? Presumably the AMHP role relates to a decision to section, and the AC role relates to management of the person's case once they have been sectioned.