Part 15

Preliminary duties on making of orders etc.

Social circumstances reports

Social circumstances report: mental health officer’s duties
231
1
Subject to subsection (2) below, where a relevant event occurs in respect of a patient, the mental health officer shall, before the expiry of the period of 21 days beginning with the day on which the event occurs—
a
prepare in respect of the patient a social circumstances report; and
b
send a copy of the report to—
i
the patient’s responsible medical officer; and
ii
the Commission.
2
If in any case the mental health officer considers that a social circumstances report would serve little, or no, practical purpose, the mental health officer—
a
need not comply with subsection (1) above; but
b
shall, before the expiry of the period mentioned in that subsection—
i
record the reasons for deciding that any such report would serve little, or no, practical purpose; and
ii
send a statement of those reasons to the patient’s responsible medical officer and to the Commission.
3
In this section, “social circumstances report” means a report setting out such information as may be prescribed by regulations.
S. 231 in force at 21.3.2005 for specified purposes by S.S.I. 2005/161, art. 2, Sch. 1
S. 231 in force at 5.10.2005 in so far as not already in force by S.S.I. 2005/161, art. 3 (as substituted (1.7.2005) by S.S.I. 2005/375, art. 2 and as amended (22.9.2005) by S.S.I. 2005/459, art. 2)