Search Legislation

The Mental Health (Northern Ireland) Order 1986

 Help about what version

What Version

  • Latest available (Revised)
  • Original (As made)
 Help about advanced features

Advanced Features

 Help about opening options

Opening OptionsExpand opening options

Changes over time for: Section 121

 Help about opening options

Changes to legislation:

The Mental Health (Northern Ireland) Order 1986, Section 121 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 13 February 2025. 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. Help about Changes to Legislation

Ill-treatment of patientsN.I.

121.—(1) Any person who, being an officer on the staff of or otherwise employed in a hospital, private hospital or nursing home or being F1... F1[F2... a director of the [F3HSC trust] managing] a hospital, or a person carrying on a private hospital or nursing home—

(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

(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,

shall be guilty of an offence.

(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.

(3) Any person guilty of an offence under this Article shall be liable—

(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;

(b)on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, or to a fine of any amount, or to both.

Back to top

Options/Help

You have chosen to open The Whole Order

The Whole Order you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.

Would you like to continue?

You have chosen to open The Whole Order as a PDF

The Whole Order you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download.

Would you like to continue?

You have chosen to open the Whole Order

The Whole Order you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.

Would you like to continue?