Explanatory Notes

Mental Health (Scotland) Act 2015

2015 asp 9

4 August 2015

The Structure & a Summary of the Act

Part Two – Criminal Cases

Section 44: Periods for hospital directions
Amendment of sections 59A and 59C

126.Hospital directions (HDs) are directions which allow a person to receive appropriate medical treatment for mental disorder in hospital, and then, if they become well, to be transferred to prison to complete the prison sentence imposed at the time of making the HD. In accordance with earlier changes made in the Act, section 44 amends sections 59A(4)(b), 59A(7)(a) and 59C to bring the computation of the relevant timescales in these sections in line with the way timescales are calculated for AOs, treatment orders and compulsion orders under the 1995 Act.