Mental Health (Patients in the Community) Act 1995

4 (1) Section 34 of that Act (interpretation) shall be amended in accordance with sub-paragraphs (2) to (5) below.

(2) In subsection (1), before the definition of “the nominated medical attendant” there shall be inserted the following definition—

““the community responsible medical officer”, in relation to a patient subject to after-care under supervision, means the person who, in accordance with section 117(2A)(a) below, is in charge of medical treatment provided for him;”.

(3) In that subsection, in the definition of “the responsible medical officer”—

(a) after the word “means” there shall be inserted “(except in the phrase “the community responsible medical officer”)”; and

(b) in paragraph (a), after the words “a patient” there shall be inserted “who is” and after the words “admission for treatment” there shall be inserted “or who is to be subject to after-care under supervision after leaving hospital”.

(4) In that subsection, after the definition of “the responsible medical officer”, there shall be inserted the following definition—

““the supervisor”, in relation to a patient subject to after-care under supervision, means the person who, in accordance with section 117(2A)(b) below, is supervising him.”

(5) After that subsection there shall be inserted the following subsection—

“(1A) Nothing in this Act prevents the same person from acting as more than one of the following in relation to a patient, that is—

(a) the responsible medical officer;

(b) the community responsible medical officer; and

(c) the supervisor.”