Commentary on Sections Designated medical practitioners Sections 234 to 236: safeguards for certain surgical operations etc
430.Sections 234 to 236 apply to any patient irrespective of whether the giving of medical treatment to a particular patient is authorised by virtue of the 2003 Act or the 1995 Act.
431.Subsection (1) of section 234 provides that the types of medical treatment mentioned in subsection (2) may be given to a patient only in accordance with the safeguards set out in sections 235 and 236. Subsection (2) specifies any surgical operation that destroys brain tissue or the functioning of brain tissue (generally known as neurosurgery for mental disorder) and enables the Scottish Ministers to consult appropriate persons before making regulations specifying other types of medical treatment that will attract the same special safeguards.