# The Mental Health (Northern Ireland) Order 1986, Article 12: Detention for treatment

Extent: N.I.

(1) Where, during the period for which a patient is detained for assessment by virtue of Article 9(8), he is examined by a medical practitioner appointed for the purposes of this Part by RQIA and that medical practitioner furnishes to the responsible authority in the prescribed form a report of the examination stating—
(a) that, in his opinion, the patient is suffering from mental illness or severe mental impairment of a nature or degree which warrants his detention in hospital for medical treatment; and
(b) that, in his opinion, failure to so detain the patient would create a substantial likelihood of serious physical harm to himself or to other persons; and
(c) such particulars as may be prescribed of the grounds for his opinion so far as it relates to the matters set out in sub-paragraph (a); and
(d) the evidence for his opinion so far as it relates to the matters set out in sub-paragraph (b), specifying whether other methods of dealing with the patient are available and, if so, why they are not appropriate,
that report shall be sufficient authority for the responsible authority to detain the patient in the hospital for medical treatment and the patient may, subject to the provisions of this Order, be so detained for a period not exceeding 6 months beginning with the date of admission, but shall not be so detained for any longer period unless the authority for his detention is renewed under Article 13.
(2) A report under paragraph (1) shall not be given by—
(a) the medical practitioner who gave the medical recommendation on which the application for assessment is founded; or
(b) any of the persons described in Schedule 1.
(3) Where a patient is detained in a hospital for treatment by virtue of a report under paragraph (1), any previous application under this Part by virtue of which he was subject to guardianship shall cease to have effect.
(4) The responsible authority shall immediately forward to RQIA a copy of any report furnished to the authority under paragraph (1).
(5) In this Order “detained for treatment”, in relation to a patient, means detained in a hospital for medical treatment by virtue of a report under paragraph (1) or by virtue of a report under Article 13(2), (3) or (5).

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisi/1986/595/article/12 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/mental-health-northern-ireland-order-1986/article-12
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.