Assignment of responsibility for community patients
25.—(1) This regulation applies in respect of any patient who is for the time being a community patient.
(2) Responsibility for a community patient may be assigned to another hospital under different management from the responsible hospital (“other hospital”) where—
(a)an authority for assignment in the form set out in Part 1 of Form TC 5 is given by the managers of the assigning responsible hospital prior to assignment;
(b)those managers are satisfied that arrangements have been made for the assignment of responsibility of the patient to the other hospital within a period of 28 days beginning with the date of the authority for assignment;
(c)on assignment, the managers of the other hospital must record the assignment in the form set out in Part 2 of Form TC 5.
(3) Where the conditions of paragraph (2) are satisfied, the assignment of responsibility must be effected within 28 days of the date of the authority as provided under sub-paragraph (a) of that paragraph, failing which responsibility for the community treatment order will remain with the hospital so responsible prior to assignment.
(4) Responsibility for a community patient to whom this regulation applies may be assigned to another hospital managed by the same hospital managers, in which event the provisions of paragraphs (2) and (3) and regulation 32 (b) will not apply.
(5) Where responsibility for a patient is assigned from a responsible hospital which is a registered establishment to another hospital under different management from the assigning hospital and the patient is maintained under a contract with a National Health Service Trust, Local Health Board, Strategic Health Authority, Primary Care Trust, NHS Foundation Trust, Special Health Authority or the Welsh Ministers any authority for assignment required under paragraph (2)(a) may be given by an duly authorised officer of that trust, board or authority, or by the Welsh Ministers, instead of the managers.
(6) The functions of the managers referred to in this regulation may be performed by an officer authorised by them in that behalf.