245.Section 53 introduces Schedule 10, which contains a number of transitional provisions. These transitional provisions provide a bridge from the system as it operates at present under the 1983 Act to the one that will operate under the amendments made to the 1983 Act by the 2007 Act. They stipulate the extent to which an amendment to the 1983 Act applies to or has an impact on a patient who is subject to the 1983 Act when the amendments come into force. The transitional provisions in Schedule 10 relate to provisions in the 2007 Act concerning:
the authority to detain a patient
consent to treatment
the reclassification of a patient’s mental disorder
the patient’s nearest relative
the rules governing applications and referrals to the MHRT
independent mental health advocates.