Compulsory admission (compulsion) to a psychiatric hospital is admission of someone with mental health problems against their will. The Mental Health Act 1983 covers compulsory admission, the rights of people while detained, discharge from hospital and aftercare.
The Act applies in England and Wales. The Mental Health Act 1983 is divided into Sections. When you are admitted to hospital under compulsion this is commonly known as "being sectioned". You can be sectioned under a number of different parts of the Act for the purpose of being assessed or to receive treatment for a mental disorder.
This document deals only with the civil sections of the Act that is the sections that do not involve the criminal law. These include sections 2, 3, 4, 5(2) and 5(4).
This fact sheet provides basic information on the following areas:
- What is a mental disorder according to the Act?
- What happens when you are sectioned?
- Can I avoid being sectioned?
- Section 2 5. Section 3
- Section 4 7. Section 5(2) and 5(4)
- Further information.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please note that single copies of individual fact sheets are available free of charge to users of mental health services and their carers, but multiple copies are chargeable to organisations at the rates shown per copy. Photocopying of individual fact sheets by organisations is strictly prohibited.
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