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Mental Health Act 1983
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Changes to legislation:
Mental Health Act 1983, Section 3 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 26 November 2024. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes that have been made appear in the content and are referenced with annotations.
Changes to Legislation
Revised legislation carried on this site may not be fully up to date. Changes and effects are recorded by our editorial team in lists which can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area. Where those effects have yet to be applied to the text of the legislation by the editorial team they are also listed alongside the legislation in the affected provisions. Use the ‘more’ link to open the changes and effects relevant to the provision you are viewing.
Changes and effects yet to be applied to Section 3:
- s. 3 modified (temp.) by 2020 c. 7 Sch. 8 para. 3(1)(2)
Changes and effects yet to be applied to the whole Act associated Parts and Chapters:
- Act applied by 1996 c. 46 Sch. 2 para. 9(replacing1968 c 20 s. 23) (Act applied (prosp.) by 1968 c. 20, s. 23(4) (as substituted (prosp.) by 1996 c. 46, ss. 8, 36(2), Sch. 2, para. 9 which said amending provision was repealed (31.3.2005) by Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004 (c. 28), ss. 58(2), 60, Sch. 11; S.I. 2005/579, art. 3(h)(i)(ix)))
- Act applied by 1996 c. 46 Sch. 2 para. 4(replacing1957 c 53 s. 63) (Act applied (prosp.) by 1957 c. 53, s. 63C(6) (as substituted (prosp.) by 1996 c. 46, ss. 8, 36(2), Sch. 2, para. 4 which said amending provision was repealed (31.3.2005) by Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004 (c. 28), ss. 58(2), 60, Sch. 11; S.I. 2005/579, art. 3(h)(i)(ix)))
- Act applied by 1996 c. 46 Sch. 2 para. 1(replacing1955 c 19 s. 116) (Act applied (prosp.) by 1955 c. 19, s. 116C(6) (as substituted (prosp.) by 1996 c. 46, ss. 8, 36(2), Sch. 2 para. 1 which said amending provision was repealed (31.3.2005) by Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004 (c. 28), ss. 58(2), 60, Sch. 11; S.I. 2005/579, art. 3(h)(i)(ix))
- Act applied by 1996 c. 46 Sch. 2 para. 1(replacing1955 c 18 s 116) (Act applied (prosp.) by 1955 c. 18, s. 116C(6) (as substituted (prosp.) by 1996 c. 46, ss. 8, 36(2), Sch. 2 para. 1 which said amending provision was repealed (31.3.2005) by Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004 (c. 28), ss. 58(2), 60, Sch. 11; S.I. 2005/579, art. 3(h)(i)(ix)))
- Act power to applied by 1996 c. 46 Sch. 2 para. 4(replacing1957 c 53 s. 63) (Act: Power to apply conferred (prosp.) by 1957 c. 53, s. 63B(4)(c) (as substituted (prosp.) by 1996 c. 46, ss. 8, 36(2), Sch. 2, para. 4 which said amending provision was repealed (31.3.2005) by Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004 (c. 28), ss. 58(2), 60, Sch. 11; S.I. 2005/579, art. 3(h)(i)(ix)))
- Act power to applied by 1996 c. 46 Sch. 2 para. 1(replacing1955 c 19 s. 116) (Act: Power to apply conferred (prosp.) by 1955 c. 19, s. 116B(4)(c) (as substituted (prosp.) by 1996 c. 46, ss. 8, 36(2), Sch. 2, para. 1 which said amending provision was repealed (31.3.2005) by Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004 (c. 28), ss. 58(2), 60, Sch. 11; S.I. 2005/579, art. 3(h)(i)(ix)))
- Act power to applied by 1996 c. 46 Sch. 2 para. 1(replacing1955 c 18 s 116) (Act: Power to apply conferred (prosp.) by 1955 c. 18, s. 116B(4)(c) (as substituted (prosp.) by 1996 c. 46, ss. 8, 36(2), Sch. 2 para. 1 which said amending provision was repealed (31.3.2005) by Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004 (c. 28), ss. 58(2), 60, Sch. 11; S.I. 2005/579, art. 3(h)(i)(ix)))
Whole provisions yet to be inserted into this Act (including any effects on those provisions):
- s. 74(8) inserted by 2015 c. 2 Sch. 3 para. 3(3)
3 Admission for treatment.E+W
(1)A patient may be admitted to a hospital and detained there for the period allowed by the following provisions of this Act in pursuance of an application (in this Act referred to as “an application for admission for treatment”) made in accordance with this section.
(2)An application for admission for treatment may be made in respect of a patient on the grounds that—
(a)he is suffering from [F1mental disorder] of a nature or degree which makes it appropriate for him to receive medical treatment in a hospital; and
(b)F2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(c)it is necessary for the health or safety of the patient or for the protection of other persons that he should receive such treatment and it cannot be provided unless he is detained under this section[F3; and
(d)appropriate medical treatment is available for him.]
(3)An application for admission for treatment shall be founded on the written recommendations in the prescribed form of two registered medical practitioners, including in each case a statement that in the opinion of the practitioner the conditions set out in subsection (2) above are complied with; and each such recommendation shall include—
(a)such particulars as may be prescribed of the grounds for that opinion so far as it relates to the conditions set out in paragraphs (a) and [F4(d)] of that subsection; and
(b)a statement of the reasons for that opinion so far as it relates to the conditions set out in paragraph (c) of that subsection, specifying whether other methods of dealing with the patient are available and, if so, why they are not appropriate.
[F5(4)In this Act, references to appropriate medical treatment, in relation to a person suffering from mental disorder, are references to medical treatment which is appropriate in his case, taking into account the nature and degree of the mental disorder and all other circumstances of his case.]
Textual Amendments
F1Words in s. 3(2)(a) substituted (3.11.2008) by Mental Health Act 2007 (c. 12), ss. 1, 56, Sch. 1 para. 2 (with Sch. 10); S.I. 2008/1900, art. 2(a) (with art. 3, Sch.)
F2S. 3(2)(b) and following word repealed (3.11.2008) by Mental Health Act 2007 (c. 12), ss. 4(2)(a), 55, 56. {Sch. 11 Pt. 2} (with Sch. 10); S.I. 2008/1900, art. 2(b)(p) (with art. 3, Sch.)
F3S. 3(2)(d) and preceding word inserted (3.11.2008) by Mental Health Act 2007 (c. 12), ss. 4(2)(b), 56 (with Sch. 10); S.I. 2008/1900, art. 2(b) (with art. 3, Sch.)
F4Word in s. 3(3)(a) substituted (3.11.2008) by Mental Health Act 2007 (c. 12), ss. 4(2)(c), 56 (with Sch. 10); S.I. 2008/1900, art. 2(b) (with art. 3, Sch.)
F5S. 3(4) inserted (3.11.2008) by Mental Health Act 2007 (c. 12), ss. 4(3), 56 (with Sch. 10); S.I. 2008/1900, art. 2(b) (with art. 3, Sch.)
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