Frequently Asked Questions:Mental Health
The application to the Mental Health Tribunal is completely free of charge whatever your financial circumstances. However, you may have to pay or make a contribution to our costs for other legal advice relating to mental health.
Under Section 2 within the first 14 days, whilst under Section 3 it is once per section. Under Section 37, the application can be made once in the second six months and then once a year. We can advise you of the timings of the applications.
At Hatten Wyatt we will ensure that you always have a representative that is suitably qualified to represent you. It must be noted that not all representatives at tribunal are Solicitors. However, the members of our Mental Health Law team are qualified Solicitors.
Under Section 2 you may be kept in for 28 days but if your doctor thinks that you need to stay longer they can place you on a Section 3. Under Section 3 provides you must remain in the hospitals care for 6 months. In the event that your doctor thinks you need to stay longer, then the doctor can renew your Section 3.
Yes, but in the case of certain specialised treatment the doctor must have your consent. If you do not consent then the doctor must get another independent doctor's opinion. This is something we will help you with if necessary. We can also help explain what the doctors are attempting to achieve and the effects of the treatment as advised by the doctors.