Section 68A: Power to reduce periods under section 68, Mental Health Act 1983

The appropriate national authority may from time to time by order amend subsection (2) or (6) of section 68 above so as to substitute for a period mentioned there such shorter period as is specified in the order.

The order may include such transitional, consequential, incidental or supplemental provision as the appropriate national authority thinks fit.

The order may, in particular, make provision for a case where—

a patient in respect of whom subsection (1) of section 68 above applies is, or is about to be, transferred from England to Wales or from Wales to England; and

the period by reference to which subsection (2) or (6) of that section operates for the purposes of the patient's case is not the same in one territory as it is in the other.

A patient is transferred from one territory to the other if—

he is transferred from a hospital, or from guardianship, in one territory to a hospital in the other in pursuance of regulations made under section 19 above;

he is removed under subsection (3) of that section from a hospital or accommodation in one territory to a hospital or accommodation in the other;

he is a community patient responsibility for whom is assigned from a hospital in one territory to a hospital in the other in pursuance of regulations made under section 19A above; or

on the revocation of a community treatment order in respect of him under section 17F above he is detained in a hospital in the territory other than the one in which the responsible hospital was situated; ...

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

Provision made by virtue of subsection (3) above may require or authorise the managers of a hospital determined in accordance with the order to refer the patient's case to the appropriate tribunal.

In so far as making provision by virtue of subsection (3) above, the order—

may make different provision for different cases;

may make provision which applies subject to specified exceptions.

Where the appropriate national authority for one territory makes an order under subsection (1) above, the appropriate national authority for the other territory may by order make such provision in consequence of the order as it thinks fit.

An order made under subsection (7) above may, in particular, make provision for a case within subsection (3) above (and subsections (4) to (6) above shall apply accordingly).

In this section, " the appropriate national authority " means—

in relation to a hospital in England, the Secretary of State;

in relation to a hospital in Wales, the Welsh Ministers.

Section 68A: Power to reduce periods under section 68

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