Part 1Amendments to Mental Health Act 1983
Chapter 4Supervised community treatment
33Relationship with leave of absence
1
The 1983 Act is amended as follows.
2
In section 17 (leave of absence from hospital), after subsection (2) insert—
2A
But longer-term leave may not be granted to a patient unless the responsible clinician first considers whether the patient should be dealt with under section 17A instead.
2B
For these purposes, longer-term leave is granted to a patient if—
a
leave of absence is granted to him under this section either indefinitely or for a specified period of more than seven consecutive days; or
b
a specified period is extended under this section such that the total period for which leave of absence will have been granted to him under this section exceeds seven consecutive days.
3
In Part 2 of Schedule 1 (patients subject to special restrictions), in paragraph 3 after paragraph (a) insert—
aa
subsections (2A) and (2B) shall be omitted;