The Mental Health (Northern Ireland) Order 1986

Renewal of authority for detention N.I.

13.—(1) Authority for the detention of a patient for treatment may, unless the patient has previously been discharged, be renewed under this Article—

(a) from the expiration of the period referred to in Article 12(1), for a further period of 6 months if the provisions of paragraph (2) are complied with;

(b) from the expiration of any period of renewal under sub-paragraph (a), for a further period of one year if the provisions of paragraphs (3) and (4) are complied with;

(c) from the expiration of any period of renewal under sub-paragraph (b) for a further period of one year if the provisions of paragraph (5) are complied with, and so on for periods of one year at a time if the provisions of paragraph (5) are complied with in each case.

(2) Within the period of one month ending with the day on which a patient who is liable to be detained for treatment would cease under Article 12(1) to be so liable in default of the renewal of the authority for his detention, the responsible medical officer shall examine the patient and where that medical officer furnishes to the responsible[F1 authority] in the prescribed form a report of the examination stating the opinions, particulars and evidence referred to in Article 12(1)(a), (b), (c) and (d), the authority for the detention of the patient shall, by virtue of the report, be renewed for the further period mentioned in paragraph (1)(a).

(3) Within the period of two months ending with the day on which a patient who is liable to be detained by virtue of an authority renewed under paragraph (2) would cease to be so liable in default of the further renewal of that authority, the responsible[F1 authority] shall arrange for the examination of the patient by two medical practitioners in accordance with paragraph (4) and where those practitioners furnish to the responsible[F1 authority] in the prescribed form a report of the examination stating the opinions, particulars and evidence referred to in Article 12(1)(a), (b), (c) and (d), the authority for the detention of the patient shall, by virtue of the report, be renewed for the further period mentioned in paragraph (1)(b).

(4) Where the[F1 responsible authority] arranges for the examination of the patient under paragraph (3)—

(a) it shall give the patient and his nearest relative not less than 14 days' notice in writing of the date of the examination;

(b) the two medical practitioners who carry out the examination shall be appointed for the purposes of this Part by [F2 RQIA] ;

(c) one of the medical practitioners who carry out the examination shall be a person who is not on the staff of the hospital in which the patient is detained and who has not given either the medical recommendation on which the application for assessment in relation to the patient was founded or any medical report in relation to the patient under Article 9 or 12(1);

(d) the report of the examination shall consist of a joint report signed by both medical practitioners.

(5) Within the period of two months ending with the day on which a patient who is liable to be detained by virtue of an authority for detention renewed under paragraph (3) or this paragraph would cease to be so liable in default of the further renewal of that authority, the responsible medical officer shall examine the patient and where that medical officer furnishes to the responsible[F1 authority] in the prescribed form a report of the examination stating the opinions, particulars and evidence referred to in Article 12(1)(a), (b), (c) and (d), the authority for the detention of the patient shall, by virtue of the report, be renewed for the further period mentioned in paragraph (1)(c).

(6) Where a report under paragraph (2), (3) or (5) is furnished to the responsible[F1 authority], it shall, unless it discharges the patient—

(a) cause him and his nearest relative to be informed;

(b) forward to [F2 RQIA] a copy of the report.

F1 1994 NI 2

F2 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. 8(1) (subject to Sch. 6 para. 8(2)-(4)); S.R. 2009/114, art. 2