Mental Health Act 1959

31 Effect of application for admission

(1) An application for the admission of a patient to a hospital under this Part of this Act, duly completed in accordance with the foregoing provisions of this Part of this Act, shall be sufficient authority for the applicant, or any person authorised by the applicant, to take the patient and convey him to the hospital at any time within the following period, that is to say—

(a) in the case of an application other than an emergency application, the period of fourteen days beginning with the date on which the patient was last examined by a medical practitioner before giving a medical recommendation for the purposes of the application;

(b) in the case of an emergency application, the period of three days beginning with the date on which the patient was examined by the practitioner giving the medical recommendation first referred to in subsection (3) of section twenty-nine of this Act, or with the date of the application, whichever is the earlier.

(2) Where a patient is admitted within the said, period to the hospital specified in such an application as aforesaid, or, being within that hospital, is treated by virtue of section thirty of this Act as if he had been so admitted, the application shall be sufficient authority for the managers to detain the patient in the hospital in accordance with the provisions of this Act.

(3) Any application for the admission of a patient under this Part of this Act which appears to be duly made and to be founded on the necessary medical recommendations may be acted upon without further proof of the signature or qualification of the person by whom the application or any such medical recommendation, is made or given, or of any matter of fact or opinion stated therein.

(4) A patient who is admitted to a hospital in pursuance of an application for admission for treatment may apply to a Mental Health Review Tribunal within the period of six months beginning with the day on which he is so admitted, or with the day on which he attains the age of sixteen years, whichever is the later.

(5) Where a patient is admitted to a hospital in pursuance of an application for admission for treatment, any previous application under this Part of this Act by virtue of which he was liable to be detained in a hospital or subject to guardianship shall cease to have effect.