Sections of the Mental Health Act

Question 1

Section (2) of Mental Health Act

1. What is it used for?
2. How long can it be used for?
3. Is it renewable?
4. Can it be used for treatment?

Answer 1

1. For admission to assess a patient
2. Can be used for 28 days
3. Is non-renewable
4. Yes

Question 2

Section (3) of Mental Health Act

1. What is it used for?
2. How long can it be used for?
3. Is it renewable?
4. Can it be used for treatment?

Answer 2

1. For admission for treatment
2. Can be used for 6 months
3. Is renewable
4. Yes

Question 3

Section (4) of Mental Health Act

1. What is it used for?
2. How long can it be used for?
3. What happens to it on arrival to hospital?

Answer 3

1. Emergency assessment order, because Section 2 would take too long to put in place
2. 72 hours long
3. Usually gets upgraded to a Section(2)

Question 4

Section 5(2) of the Mental Health Act
1. What is it used for?

Answer 4

1. A patient who is a voluntary patient in hospital can be legally detained by a doctor for 72 hours

Question 5

Section 5(4) of the Mental Health Act
1. What is it used for?

Answer 5

1. A patient who is a voluntary patient in hospital can be legally detained by a nurse for 6 hours

Question 6

Section 17a of the Mental Health Act

1. What is it used for?

Answer 6

1. Supervised Community Treatment Order, can be used to recall a patient to hospital for treatment if they do not comply with conditions of the order in the community, such as complying with medication

Question 7

Section 135 of the Mental Health Act

1. What is it used for?

Answer 7

1. A court order to allow the police to break into a property to remove a person to a Place of Safety

Question 8

Section 136 of the Mental Health Act

1. What is it used for?
2. How long can it be used for?

Answer 8

1. Someone found in a public place who appears to have a mental disorder can be taken by the police to a Place of Safety
2. For up to 24 hours, whilst a Mental Health Act assessment is arranged

Question 9

What are the five principles of the Mental Health Act?

Answer 9

1. Presumption of capacity
2. The right to be supported in making that decision
3. Freedom to make unwise decisions
4. To make decisions for them in best interest
5. To make decisions which are least restrictive

Question 10

What are the four principles of capacity?

Answer 10

The ability to:

• Understand
• Retain
• Weigh Up
• Communicate

Question 11

When would you use a Section 3 over a Section 2 of the Mental Health Act?

Answer 11

When they are already known to the service and do not need an assessment because it is a repeat of their previous condition