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Section 231 Social circumstances report: mental health officer’s dutiesI1I2

(1)

Subject to subsection (2) below, where a relevant event occurs in respect of a patient, the mental health officer shall, before the expiry of the period of 21 days beginning with the day on which the event occurs—

(a)

prepare in respect of the patient a social circumstances report; and

(b)

send a copy of the report to—

(i)

the patient’s responsible medical officer; and

(ii)

the Commission.

(2)

If in any case the mental health officer considers that a social circumstances report would serve little, or no, practical purpose, the mental health officer—

(a)

need not comply with subsection (1) above; but

(b)

shall, before the expiry of the period mentioned in that subsection—

(i)

record the reasons for deciding that any such report would serve little, or no, practical purpose; and

(ii)

send a statement of those reasons to the patient’s responsible medical officer and to the Commission.

(3)

In this section, “social circumstances report” means a report setting out such information as may be prescribed by regulations.

Annotations

Commencement

I1

S. 231 in force at 21.3.2005 for specified purposes by S.S.I. 2005/161, art. 2, Sch. 1

I2

S. 231 in force at 5.10.2005 in so far as not already in force by S.S.I. 2005/161, art. 3 (as substituted (1.7.2005) by S.S.I. 2005/375, art. 2 and as amended (22.9.2005) by S.S.I. 2005/459, art. 2)