Part V Admission to and Detention in Hospital and Guardianship
Duration of authority for detention and discharge of patients: hospital
F131 Special provisions as to patients absent without leave: hospital.
(1)
Where a patient is absent without leave—
(a)
on the day on which (apart from this section) he would cease to be liable to be detained under this Part of this Act; or
(b)
within the period of one week ending with that day,
he shall not cease to be so liable until the relevant time.
(2)
For the purposes of subsection (1) above the relevant time—
(a)
where the patient is taken into custody under section 28 of this Act, is the end of the period of one week beginning with the day on which he is returned to the hospital;
(b)
where the patient returns to the hospital within the period during which he can be taken into custody under section 28 of this Act, is the end of the period of one week beginning with the day on which he so returns; and
(c)
otherwise, is the end of the period during which he can be taken into custody under section 28 of this Act.