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Section 87: Patients absent from hospitals in Northern Ireland.

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

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

Any person who—

under Article 29 or 132 of the Mental Health (Northern Ireland) Order 1986 (which provide, respectively, for the retaking of patients absent without leave and for the retaking of patients escaping from custody); or
under the said Article 29 as applied by Article 31 of the said Order(which makes special provision as to persons sentenced to imprisonment),

may be taken into custody in Northern Ireland, may be taken into custody in, and returned to Northern Ireland from, England and Wales by an approved mental health professional , by any constable or by any person authorised by or by virtue of the said Order to take him into custody.

This section does not apply to any person who is subject to guardianship.

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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.