§ Lord AVEBURYasked Her Majesty's Government:
What powers of discretion hospital authorities in England and Wales have to refuse admission to a patient who is the subject of a section order under the Mental Health Act 1959.
§ Lord CULLEN of ASHBOURNEIn general, the question of whether a patient, whether he is suffering from mental disorder or any other disorder, is admitted to a hospital is a matter for the health authority and the clinical judgment of the consultant concerned. This applies equally to a patient for whom an application for admission has been made for716WA observation or treatment under Part IV of the Mental Health Act 1959. Similarly, a court may not make a hospital order under Part V of the Act unless it is satisfied that arrangements have been made for the admission of the offender to hospital. However, under Section 72 of the Act, the Secretary of State may by warrant direct that a person shall be transferred from prison and detained in a specified hospital. Under Section 132 of the Act, each regional health authority must notify social service departments, covered by the region, of hospitals which have made arrangements to receive, in case of special urgency, patients requiring treatment for mental disorder.
House adjourned at six minutes past five o'clock.