Part XI Miscellaneous and General

Offences

105 Ill-treatment of patients.

1

It shall be an offence for any person being an officer on the staff of or otherwise employed in a hospital or nursing home, or being a manager of a hospital or a person carrying on a nursing home—

a

to ill-treat or wilfully neglect a patient for the time being receiving treatment for mental disorder as an in-patient in that hospital or nursing home; or

b

to ill-treat or wilfully neglect, 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.

2

It shall be an offence for any individual to ill-treat or wilfully neglect a patient who is for the time being subject to his guardianship under this Act or otherwise in his custody or care.

3

Any person guilty of an offence against this section shall be liable—

a

on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum or both;

b

on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years or to a fine, or both.