Leave of absence You may be allowed to the mental health service for a short time (for example, a few hours, overnight or a weekend) to visit family or friends or for some other purpose. If you would like to have leave, you should talk to a member of the treating team. Your psychiatrist will make the final decision about a request for leave. Seclusion and Restraint Seclusion Seclusion is when a person is kept alone in a room where the doors and windows are locked from the outside. This only happens if it is necessary to protect the person or others from an immediate or imminent risk to their health or safety or to prevent the person from absconding. It is only used when other ways of ensuring safety have failed. Mechanical restraint Mechanical restraint is the use of a device, such as a harness or straps, to restrict a person's freedom to move about. Restraint may be used to enable a person to be medically treated, to prevent the person from injuring himself or herself or others or to prevent the person from persistently destroying property. Approval and monitoring of seclusion and mechanical restraint Seclusion and restraint may be approved by your psychiatrist or, in an emergency, authorised by the senior registered nurse on duty. They can only be used for as long as the above reasons apply. If you are put in a seclusion room or are restrained, staff must give you appropriate bedding, clothing, food and drink at the appropriate times. You can ask staff for food and drink when you want them. They must also provide you with adequate toilet arrangements, including the opportunity to wash. A nurse must review your physical and mental condition at least every 15 minutes. A doctor must also examine you at least every 4 hours, unless your psychiatrist thinks less frequent examinations are appropriate. If you are being restrained you must be monitored continuously. Letters and telephone calls Sch. 10
LEAVE Leave of absence allows forensic patients to leave the mental health service for a variety of purposes. Leave is always subject to security conditions and time limits. There are 3 types of short-term leave: special leave of absence, on-ground leave and limited off-ground leave. Forensic patients on custodial supervision orders can also apply for long term leave called extended leave. If at any time you would like to have leave, you should talk to your psychiatrist or a member of the treating team about how to make an application. Special leave Your psychiatrist can grant special leave of absence. Special leave of absence is for specific purposes, such as medical treatment, court appearances or special events (like funerals). Special leave cannot exceed 24 hours, or 7 days in the case of medical treatment. You or someone on your behalf can to your psychiatrist stating the special circumstances for which you need special leave. If your psychiatrist is satisfied that there are special circumstances and the safety of members of the public will not be seriously endangered, the special leave must be granted. If your psychiatrist refuses to grant you special leave, you can appeal to the Forensic Leave Panel (see below). On-ground leave and limited off-ground leave Sch. 11 To obtain on-ground leave or limited off-ground leave, you must make an application to the Forensic Leave Panel (see below). On-ground allows forensic patients to leave the mental health service, but the leave is limited to a defined area around the mental health service known as the surrounds. Limited off-ground leave allows forensic patients to go beyond the surrounds of the mental health service. Generally, limited off-ground leave is only permitted during the day between the hours of 6.00 am and 9.00 pm. It can be granted outside these hours, but only for a maximum of 3 days in any 7day
seek advice from a friend, family member, lawyer or an advocate, or one of the organisations described at the end of this statement. If you to have ECT, you will be asked to sign a form stating that you have given informed consent. Your psychiatrist will discuss with you how many treatments are recommended. You may consent to have up to 6 treatments. If your doctor believes you need more than the initial 6 treatments you will be asked to consent to each further course of up to 6 treatments. Withdrawing consent to ECT Sch. 14 If you agree to have ECT, but then change your mind, it is your right to withdraw your consent at any time. The treatments will be stopped unless your psychiatrist believes that you are not able to give informed consent. If you want to withdraw your consent, you should talk to your psychiatrist. Remember that you can have a friend, a family member, a lawyer or an advocate with you for support or to represent you. ECT if you are not able to give informed consent If you are not able to give informed consent to ECT, your psychiatrist can consent for you if the psychiatrist is satisfied that— the ECT is necessary; and your physical or mental condition is likely to get worse unless you have ECT; and the benefits and risks of ECT and any other beneficial treatments have been considered. Your psychiatrist will talk to you about the ECT before you receive the treatment. Reasonable efforts will be made to notify your primary carer (a family member or friend who is primarily responsible for providing support or care to you) or your guardian (if you have one) about the proposed ECT. Urgent ECT Sch. 14
the person proposing to perform the psychosurgery is properly qualified; the hospital, service or clinic where the proposed psychosurgery would be performed is an appropriate place; all other reasonable treatments have already been tried without sufficient and lasting benefit. The Board consents to psychosurgery If the is satisfied about the above matters, it will consent to you having psychosurgery and will specify— the name of the neurosurgeon authorised to perform the psychosurgery; the nature of the psychosurgery to be performed; the hospital, service or clinic the psychosurgery is to be performed; the period within the psychosurgery is to be performed. You and your representative will be given a written copy of the Board's consent. The Board refuses consent to psychosurgery If the Board is not satisfied about the above matters, it must refuse to give its consent and you cannot have psychosurgery. You will be advised of the refusal and the reasons in writing. Reports about the psychosurgery Sch. 15 If you have psychosurgery, your neurosurgeon must provide a report about the treatment to the Board within 3 months. Your psychiatrist must also provide reports on your progress within 3 months after the treatment and then within 12 months. The Board will continue to review your progress on a regular basis, unless you object to this regular review. If you do not want the Board to review