Explanatory Notes

Mental Health (Scotland) Act 2015

2015 asp 9

4 August 2015

The Structure & a Summary of the Act

Part One – the 2003 Act

Section 12: Transfer of prisoner to hospital unit
Amendment of section 136

41.Section 136 of the 2003 Act provides for the Scottish Ministers to authorise the transfer of prisoners to hospital for treatment for mental disorder.

42.Section 12 provides that references in section 136 of the 2003 Act to a “hospital” may be read as references to a “hospital unit”, and defines “hospital unit” as meaning any part of a hospital which is treated as a separate unit. This makes clear that a transfer for treatment direction may authorise the transfer of prisoners to, and their detention in, specific hospital units.