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					<dc:identifier>http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2025/33/section/34</dc:identifier><dc:title>Mental Health Act 2025</dc:title><dc:language>en</dc:language><dc:publisher>Statute Law Database</dc:publisher><dc:modified>2026-04-09</dc:modified><dc:contributor>Expert Participation</dc:contributor><dct:valid>2026-04-06</dct:valid>
					
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				</ukm:Metadata><Primary><Body DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2025/33/body" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2025/33/body" NumberOfProvisions="92" RestrictExtent="E+W+S+N.I." RestrictStartDate="2026-04-06"><Pblock DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2025/33/crossheading/discharge-process" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2025/33/crossheading/discharge-process" NumberOfProvisions="1" id="crossheading-discharge-process" RestrictExtent="E+W+S+N.I." Match="false" Status="Prospective"><Title>Discharge: process</Title><P1group Match="false" Status="Prospective" RestrictExtent="E+W+S+N.I."><Title>Discharge: process</Title><P1 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2025/33/section/34" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2025/33/section/34" id="section-34">
<Pnumber><CommentaryRef Ref="key-ce2d446b5c34eaede638ef257a8c8344"/>34</Pnumber>
<P1para>
<Text>In section 23 of the Mental Health Act 1983 (discharge of patients), after subsection (2) insert—</Text>
<BlockAmendment Context="main" Format="double" TargetClass="primary" TargetSubClass="unknown">
<P2>
<Pnumber>2A</Pnumber>
<P2para>
<Text>Before making an order for discharge by virtue of subsection (2)(a), the responsible clinician must consult a person—</Text>
<P3>
<Pnumber>a</Pnumber>
<P3para>
<Text>who has been professionally concerned with the patient’s medical treatment, and</Text>
</P3para>
</P3>
<P3>
<Pnumber>b</Pnumber>
<P3para>
<Text>who belongs to a profession other than that to which the responsible clinician belongs.</Text>
</P3para>
</P3>
</P2para>
</P2>
<P2>
<Pnumber>2B</Pnumber>
<P2para>
<Text>Before making an order for discharge by virtue of subsection (2)(b)—</Text>
<P3>
<Pnumber>a</Pnumber>
<P3para>
<Text>the responsible clinician must consult a person—</Text>
<P4>
<Pnumber>i</Pnumber>
<P4para>
<Text>who has been professionally concerned with the patient’s care or treatment, and</Text>
</P4para>
</P4>
<P4>
<Pnumber>ii</Pnumber>
<P4para>
<Text>who belongs to a profession other than that to which the responsible clinician belongs;</Text>
</P4para>
</P4>
</P3para>
</P3>
<P3>
<Pnumber>b</Pnumber>
<P3para>
<Text>the responsible local social services authority must ensure that whoever is taking the decision for the authority consults a person who has been professionally concerned with the patient's care or treatment (whether or not a member of staff of the authority);</Text>
</P3para>
</P3>
<P3>
<Pnumber>c</Pnumber>
<P3para>
<Text>the patient’s nominated person must consult the responsible local social services authority.</Text>
</P3para>
</P3>
</P2para>
</P2>
<P2>
<Pnumber>2C</Pnumber>
<P2para>
<Text>Before making an order for discharge by virtue of subsection (2)(c)—</Text>
<P3>
<Pnumber>a</Pnumber>
<P3para>
<Text>the responsible clinician must, if they are not the community clinician, consult the community clinician;</Text>
</P3para>
</P3>
<P3>
<Pnumber>b</Pnumber>
<P3para>
<Text>the hospital managers must consult the community clinician.</Text>
</P3para>
</P3>
</P2para>
</P2>
</BlockAmendment>
</P1para>
</P1></P1group></Pblock></Body></Primary><Commentaries><Commentary Type="I" id="key-ce2d446b5c34eaede638ef257a8c8344"><Para><Text>S. 34  not in force at Royal Assent, see <CitationSubRef id="nd4d4014e0482e726" SectionRef="section-56-3" URI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2025/33/section/56/3" Operative="true">s. 56(3)</CitationSubRef></Text></Para></Commentary></Commentaries></Legislation>