{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/mental-health-northern-ireland-order-1986/article-121",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/mental-health-northern-ireland-order-1986/article-121.json",
  "legislation": "nisi/1986/595",
  "legislation_title": "The Mental Health (Northern Ireland) Order 1986",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/mental-health-northern-ireland-order-1986",
  "path": "article/121",
  "kind": "article",
  "number": "121",
  "heading": "Ill-treatment of patients",
  "text": "(1) Any person who, being an officer on the staff of or otherwise employed in a hospital, private hospital or nursing home or being ... ... a director of the HSC trust managing a hospital, or a person carrying on a private hospital or nursing home—\n(a) ill-treats or wilfully neglects a patient for the time being receiving treatment for mental disorder as an in-patient in that hospital or nursing home; or\n(b) ill-treats or wilfully neglects, on the premises of which the hospital or nursing home forms part, a patient for the time being receiving such treatment there as an out-patient,\nshall be guilty of an offence.\n(2) Any individual who ill-treats or wilfully neglects a patient who is for the time being subject to his guardianship under this Order or otherwise in his custody or care (whether by virtue of any legal or moral obligation or otherwise) shall be guilty of an offence.\n(3) Any person guilty of an offence under this Article shall be liable—\n(a) on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum, or to both;\n(b) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, or to a fine of any amount, or to both.",
  "extent": "N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Words in art. 121(1) omitted (1.4.2022) by virtue of Health and Social Care Act (Northern Ireland) 2022 (c. 3), s. 8(1)(b), Sch. 1 para. 97; S.R. 2022/102, art. 2(b)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "1994 NI 2"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "Words in Order substituted (1.4.2009) by Health and Social Care (Reform) Act (Northern Ireland) 2009 (c. 1), ss. 32, 34(3), Sch. 6 para. 1(1)(d) (with Sch. 6 para. 1(3)); S.R. 2009/114, art. 2"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [
    {
      "type": "words inserted",
      "affecting": "nia/2016/18",
      "affecting_title": "Mental Capacity Act (Northern Ireland) 2016"
    },
    {
      "type": "words inserted",
      "affecting": "nia/2016/18",
      "affecting_title": "Mental Capacity Act (Northern Ireland) 2016"
    },
    {
      "type": "words substituted",
      "affecting": "nia/2016/18",
      "affecting_title": "Mental Capacity Act (Northern Ireland) 2016"
    }
  ],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisi/1986/595/article/121",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T04:48:38.738443+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."
}