Mental Health Act 1983 (as amended)
Edit/add commentary Law as at 19/11/11
Part II contents
2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 12A, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 17A, 17B, 17C, 17D, 17E, 17F, 17G, 18, 19, 19A, 20, 20A, 20B, 21, 21A, 21B, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34
All Parts
I, II, III, IV, 4A, V, VI, VIII, IX, X, Schedules
Overview of the MHA 1983 Plain text for printing Statute Law Database
Responsible Clinician/Approved Clinician replaces Responsible Medical Officer 3/11/08
Any cases with a hyperlink to this legislation will automatically be added here. There may be other relevant cases without a hyperlink, so please check the mental health case law page.
Visiting and examination of patients
24.—(1) For the purpose of advising as to the exercise by the nearest relative of a patient who is liable to be detained or subject to guardianship under this Part of this Act[, or who is a community patient,][1] of any power to order his discharge, any registered medical practitioner [or approved clinician][1] authorised by or on behalf of the nearest relative of the patient may, at any reasonable time, visit the patient and examine him in private.
(2) Any registered medical practitioner [or approved clinician][1] authorised for the purposes of subsection (1) above to visit and examine a patient may require the production of and inspect any records relating to the detention or treatment of the patient in any hospital [or to any after-care services provided for the patient under section 117 below].[2]
(3) Where application is made by the Secretary of State or a [[Local Health Board],[3] Special Health Authority[, Primary Care Trust][4] [, National Health Service trust or NHS foundation trust][5]][6] to exercise [any power under section 23(3) above to make an order for a patient's discharge],[1] the following persons, that is to say—
may at any reasonable time visit the patient and interview him in private.
(4) Any person authorised for the purposes of subsection (3) above to visit a patient may require the production of and inspect any documents constituting or alleged to constitute the authority for the detention of the patient[, or (as the case may be) for his liability to recall,][1] under this Part of this Act; and any person so authorised, who is a registered medical practitioner [or approved clinician][1], may examine the patient in private, and may require the production of and inspect any other records relating to the treatment of the patient in [the establishment][1] [or to any after-care services provided for the patient under section 117 below].[2]
Amendments