Deferred discharge of unrestricted patient

A Tribunal may defer the discharge of an unrestricted patient to a future date (s72(3)), for example when time is needed to finalise after-care arrangements. This should not be confused with a deferred conditional discharge in restricted cases (where the deferral is not to a specified date, but is until the conditions can be satisfied). If the arrangements are a prerequisite to discharge (they are not always) and there is doubt about availability then the tribunal will adjourn instead.