{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/mental-health-act-1983/section-24",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/mental-health-act-1983/section-24.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/1983/20",
  "legislation_title": "Mental Health Act 1983",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/mental-health-act-1983",
  "path": "section/24",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "24",
  "heading": "Visiting and examination of patients.",
  "text": "(1) For the purpose of advising as to the exercise by the nearest relative of a patient who is liable to be detained or subject to guardianship under this Part of this Act , or who is a community patient, of any power to order his discharge, any registered medical practitioner or approved clinician authorised by or on behalf of the nearest relative of the patient may, at any reasonable time, visit the patient and examine him in private.\n(2) Any registered medical practitioner or approved clinician authorised for the purposes of subsection (1) above to visit and examine a patient may require the production of and inspect any records relating to the detention or treatment of the patient in any hospital or to any after-care services provided for the patient under section 117 below..\n(3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\n(4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .",
  "extent": "E+W",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Words in s. 24(1) inserted (3.11.2008) by Mental Health Act 2007 (c. 12), ss. 32, 56, Sch. 3 para. 11(2) (with Sch. 10); S.I. 2008/1900, art. 2(i) (with art. 3, Sch.)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Words in s. 24 inserted (3.11.2008) by Mental Health Act 2007 (c. 12), ss. 9(7), 56, (with Sch. 10); S.I. 2008/1900, art. 2(b) (with art. 3, Sch.)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "Words in s. 24(2)(4) inserted (1.4.1996) by 1995 c .52, ss. 1(2), 7(2), Sch. 1, para. 1"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F4",
      "text": "S. 24(3)(4) omitted (1.7.2012) by virtue of Health and Social Care Act 2012 (c. 7), ss. 39(2), 306(4); S.I. 2012/1319, art. 2(3)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [
    {
      "type": "words substituted",
      "affecting": "ukpga/2025/33",
      "affecting_title": "Mental Health Act 2025"
    }
  ],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1983/20/section/24",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T10:09:24.002453+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}