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Section 86: Removal of alien patients.

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

Part VI: Removal and Return of Patients Within United Kingdom, etc.

This section applies to any patient who is neither a British citizen nor a Commonwealth citizen having the right of abode in the United Kingdom by virtue of section 2(1)(b) of the Immigration Act 1971, being a patient who is receiving treatment for mental disorder as an in-patient in a hospital in England and Wales or a hospital within the meaning of the Mental Health (Northern Ireland) Order 1986 and is detained pursuant to—

an application for admission for treatment or a report under Article 12(1) or 13 of that Order;
a hospital order under section 37 above or Article 44 of that Order; or
an order or direction under this Act (other than under section 35, 36 or 38 above) or under that Order (other than under Article 42, 43 or 45 of that Order) .

If it appears to the Secretary of State that proper arrangements have been made for the removal of a patient to whom this section applies to a country or territory outside the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands and for his care or treatment there and that it is in the interests of the patient to remove him, the Secretary of State may, subject to subsection (3) below—

by warrant authorise the removal of the patient from the place where he is receiving treatment as mentioned in subsection (1) above, and
give such directions as the Secretary of State thinks fit for the conveyance of the patient to his destination in that country or territory and for his detention in any place or on board any ship or aircraft until his arrival at any specified port or place in any such country or territory.

The Secretary of State shall not exercise his powers under subsection (2) above in the case of any patient except with the approval of the appropriate tribunal or, as the case may be, of the Mental Health Review Tribunal for Northern Ireland.

In relation to a patient receiving treatment in a hospital within the meaning of the Mental Health (Northern Ireland) Order 1986, the reference in subsection (1) above to mental disorder shall be construed in accordance with that Order and any reference in subsection (2) or (3) to the Secretary of State shall be construed as a reference to the Department of Justice in Northern Ireland.

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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.