The Mental Health Act 1986 (59/1986) was “to provide for the care, treatment and protection of persons who are mentally ill, to establish a Mental Health Review Board, to define the role of the Department of Health with respect to mental health, to repeal the Mental Health Act 1959 and for other purposes.”. The Act was implemented in stages from June until September 1987, and was amended numerous times since it was assented to in 1986.