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Section 47: Removal to hospital of persons serving sentences of imprisonment, etc.

Mental Health Act 1983 · 1983 c. 20View on legislation.gov.uk

Part III: Patients Concerned in Criminal Proceedings or Under Sentence

If in the case of a person serving a sentence of imprisonment the Secretary of State is satisfied, by reports from at least two registered medical practitioners—

that the said person is suffering from mental disorder; and
that the mental disorder from which that person is suffering is of a nature or degree which makes it appropriate for him to be detained in a hospital for medical treatment; and
that appropriate medical treatment is available for him;

the Secretary of State may, if he is of the opinion having regard to the public interest and all the circumstances that it is expedient so to do, by warrant direct that that person be removed to and detained in such hospital. . . as may be specified in the direction; and a direction under this section shall be known as "a transfer direction".

A transfer direction shall cease to have effect at the expiration of the period of 14 days beginning with the date on which it is given unless within that period the person with respect to whom it was given has been received into the hospital specified in the direction.

A transfer direction with respect to any person shall have the same effect as a hospital order made in his case.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

References in this Part of this Act to a person serving a sentence of imprisonment include references—

to a person detained in pursuance of any sentence or order for detention made by a court in criminal proceedings or service disciplinary proceedings(other than an order made in consequence of a finding of insanity or unfitness to stand trialor a sentence of service detention within the meaning of the Armed Forces Act 2006);
to a person committed to custody under section 115(3) of the Magistrates' Courts Act 1980 (which relates to persons who fail to comply with an order to enter into recognisances to keep the peace or be of good behaviour); and
to a person committed by a court to a prison or other institution to which the Prison Act 1952 applies in default of payment of any sum adjudged to be paid on his conviction.

In subsection (5)(a) "service disciplinary proceedings" means proceedings in respect of a service offence within the meaning of the Armed Forces Act 2006.

About this text

This legislation text comes from legislation.gov.uk. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. These source and reuse terms cover the legislation text, not Remedy's commentary.

Reuse reviewed 21 August 2026 under Open Government Licence v3.0.