Mental Health Act 1959

126 Ill-treatment of patients

(1) It shall be an offence for any person being an officer on the staff of or otherwise employed in, or being one of the managers of, a hospital or mental nursing home—

(a) to ill-treat or wilfully neglect a patient for the time being receiving treatment for mental disorder as an in-patient in that hospital or home ; or

(b) to ill-treat or wilfully neglect, on the premises of which the hospital or home forms part, a patient for the time being receiving such treatment there as an out-patient.

(2) It shall be an offence for any individual to ill-treat or wilfully neglect a mentally disordered patient who is for the time being subject to his guardianship under this Act or otherwise in his custody or care (whether by virtue of any legal or moral obligation or otherwise).

(3) Any person guilty of an offence under this section shall be liable—

(a) on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or to a fine not exceeding one hundred pounds, or to both ;

(b) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or to a fine, or to both.

(4) No proceedings shall be instituted for an offence under this section except by or with the consent of the Director of Public Prosecutions.