Mental Health Act 1983

32 Regulations for purposes of Part II. E+W

(1) The Secretary of State may make regulations for prescribing anything which, under this Part of this Act, is required or authorised to be prescribed, and otherwise for carrying this Part of this Act into full effect.

(2) Regulations under this section may in particular make provision—

(a) for prescribing the form of any application, recommendation, report, order, notice or other document to be made or given under this Part of this Act;

(b) for prescribing the manner in which any such application, recommendation, report, order, notice or other document may be proved, and for regulating the service of any such application, report, order or notice;

(c) for requiring [F1 such bodies as may be prescribed by the regulations] to keep such registers or other records as may be [F1 so prescribed] in respect of patients liable to be detained or subject to guardianship F2 . . . under this Part of this Act [F3 or community patients] , and to furnish or make available to those patients, and their relatives, such written statements of their rights and powers under this Act as may be so prescribed;

(d) for the determination in accordance with the regulations of the age of any person whose exact age cannot be ascertained by reference to the registers kept under the M1 Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953; and

(e) for enabling the functions under this Part of this Act of the nearest relative of a patient to be performed, in such circumstances and subject to such conditions (if any) as may be prescribed by the regulations, by any person authorised in that behalf by that relative;

and for the purposes of this Part of this Act any application, report or notice the service of which is regulated under paragraph (b) above shall be deemed to have been received by or furnished to the authority or person to whom it is authorised or required to be furnished, addressed or given if it is duly served in accordance with the regulations.

(3) Without prejudice to subsections (1) and (2) above, but subject to section 23(4) [F4 and (6)] above, regulations under this section may determine the manner in which functions under this Part of this Act of the managers of hospitals, local social services authorities, [F5 [F6 Local Health Board] Special Health Authorities F7 ... [F8 , National Health Service trusts or NHS foundation trusts]] are to be exercised, and such regulations may in particular specify the circumstances in which, and the conditions subject to which, any such functions may be performed by officers of or other persons acting on behalf of those managers [F9 , boards,][F10 authorities and trusts].

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in s. 32(2)(c) substituted (1.4.1996) by 1995 c. 52, ss. 1(2), 7(2), Sch. 1 para. 2

F2 Words in s. 32(2)(c) repealed (3.11.2008) by Mental Health Act 2007 (c. 12), ss. 55, 56, Sch. 11 Pt. 5 (with Sch. 10); S.I. 2008/1210, art. 2(d) (with art. 4)

F3 Words in s. 32(2)(c) inserted (3.11.2008) by Mental Health Act 2007 (c. 12), ss. 32, 56, Sch. 3 para. 15 (with Sch. 10); S.I. 2008/1900, art. 2(i) (with art. 3, Sch.)

F4 Words in s. 32(3) inserted (24.7.2007) by Mental Health Act 2007 (c. 12), ss. 45(2), 56 (with Sch. 10); S.I. 2007/2156, art. 2

F5 Words in s. 32(3) substituted (28.6.1995 for certain purposes, otherwise 1.4.1996) by 1995 c. 17, s. 2(1)(3), 8, Sch. 1, Pt. III, para. 107(4)

F6 Words in s. 32(3) substituted (1.4.2007) by The References to Health Authorities Order 2007 (S.I. 2007/961), art. 3, {Sch. para. 13(7(a))}

F7 Words in s. 32(3) omitted (1.4.2013) by virtue of Health and Social Care Act 2012 (c. 7), s. 306(4), Sch. 5 para. 27; S.I. 2013/160, art. 2(2) (with arts. 7-9)

F8 Words in s. 32(3) substituted (1.4.2004) by Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Act 2003 (c. 43), ss. 34, 199, Sch. 4 para. 55; S.I. 2004/759, art.2

F9 Word in s. 32(3) inserted (1.4.2007) by The References to Health Authorities Order 2007 (S.I. 2007/961), art. 3, {Sch. para. 13(7(b))}

F10 Words substituted by virtue of National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990 (c. 19, SIF 113:2), s. 66(1), Sch. 9 para. 24(5)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 32(2)(c) modified (3.11.2008) by The Mental Health Act 2007 (Commencement No. 6 and After-care under Supervision: Savings, Modifications and Transitional Provisions) Order 2008 (S.I. 2008/1210), arts. 1(1)(b), 6(d)

C2 S. 32(3) modified (1.7.2005) by Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004 (c. 28), s. 45(4); S.I. 2005/1705, art. 2(b) (as inserted (3.11.2008) by Mental Health Act 2007 (c. 12), ss. 48, 56, Sch. 6 para. 16(4) (with Sch. 10)); S.I. 2008/1900, art. 2(o) (with art. 3, Sch.)

Marginal Citations

M1 1953 c. 20.