Mental Health (Private Hospitals) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2013
These Regulations revoke and replace the Mental Health (Private Hospitals) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2012 to correct errors in the numbering of certain sub-paragraphs. The Regulations apply certain provisions of the Mental Health (Northern Ireland) Order 1986, “the 1986 Order”, to private hospitals, which do not automatically apply, with modifications and adaptations. In addition to the application of the provisions above, the Department has also adapted certain provisions of the Order to provide extra safeguards to patients detained in private hospitals. The Regulations provide that, in relation to detention for assessment or treatment and renewal of such detention, a supporting opinion from a medical practitioner who is not on the staff of the private hospital in which the patient is being detained is obtained.