General powers of the court with respect to property and affairs of patientN.I.
98.—(1) The court may, with respect to the property and affairs of a patient, do or secure the doing of all such things as appear necessary or expedient—
(a)for the maintenance or other benefit of the patient;
(b)for the maintenance or other benefit of members of the patient's family;
(c)for making provision for other persons or purposes for whom or which the patient might be expected to provide if he were not mentally disordered; or
(d)otherwise for administering the patient's affairs.
(2) In the exercise of the powers conferred by this Article regard shall be had first of all to the requirements of the patient.
(3) Subject to paragraph (2), the court shall, in administering a patient's affairs, have regard to the interests of creditors and also to the desirability of making provision for obligations of the patient notwithstanding that they may not be legally enforceable.
(4) Nothing in this Article shall prejudice the operation of the rules of law which restrict the enforcement by a creditor of rights against property under the control of the court.