What Does Being Sectioned Mean?
Being sectioned refers to the legal process of admitting you to a hospital under the guidelines of the Mental Health Act of 1983.
Various types of sections exist, each with their own set of regulations governing your hospital stay. The duration of your hospitalisation is contingent upon the specific section under which you're detained.
The experience you'll undergo once sectioned is influenced by the particular section you're under, the nature of your mental health challenges, your need for specialised care and treatment, as well as your individual circumstances.
When Might I Be Sectioned?
The possibility of being sectioned arises when concerns about your mental well-being have been voiced, either by you or someone else.
The possibility of being sectioned arises when concerns about your mental well-being have been voiced, either by you or someone else.
You should only find yourself sectioned under the following conditions :
- You require assessment or treatment for your mental health issue.
- Your condition is likely to deteriorate without proper treatment.
- There's a risk to your safety or that of others if you don't receive adequate care.
- Medical professionals believe that hospitalisation is essential for your situation, such as needing close monitoring due to new or potent medication. Otherwise, you might be advised to visit a hospital's outpatient clinic.
Before any lawful sectioning takes place, a thorough assessment by healthcare experts is mandatory to confirm its necessity.
Understanding the Different Types of Sections
Being sectioned can happen under various categories, each with its own set of guidelines for your hospital stay. The most commonly invoked sections are :
- Section 2
- Section 3
- Section 5(2)
- Section 5(4)
Section 2: Short-Term Assessment
You might find yourself detained under Section 2 if:
- You're experiencing a mental health disorder.
- You require brief confinement for evaluation and possibly medical intervention.
- Detainment is crucial for your well-being or the safety of others.
You can be held for up to 28 days. This section usually can't be extended, but an assessment may be conducted before its conclusion to determine if transitioning to Section 3 is warranted.
Section 3: Longer-Term Treatment
You could be detained under Section 3 if:
- You have a mental health disorder.
- Hospitalisation is essential for your health, safety, or the well-being of others.
- Treatment can only be administered while you're in hospital care.
You can be held up to 6 months initially, with the possibility of extensions by your responsible clinician for additional 6-month periods or even 12-month intervals thereafter. You can also be discharged before the section concludes, allowing you to return home.
Section 5(2): Emergency Detainment
This section is applicable if you're a voluntary or inpatient under treatment. A clinician overseeing your care must recommend that you should be detained.
You can be held for a maximum of 72 hours.
Section 5(4): Nurse-Led Detainment
Section 5(4) applies if you're a voluntary inpatient undergoing mental health treatment. A specially trained nurse can detain you if they believe :
- Immediate hospitalisation is crucial for your health, safety, or the protection of others.
- The situation is so urgent that waiting for a clinician's report isn't feasible.
You can be detained for up to 6 hours or until an authorised doctor or clinician arrives, whichever comes first.
Other Key Sections Under the Mental Health Act
Allows for urgent admission to hospital for up to 72 hours, typically when a full assessment can't be carried out in time.
Enables a guardian to make decisions about your living arrangements and require you to attend specific places for treatment or work.
Permits you to leave the hospital for a short period, usually as part of your treatment plan.
A legal body that reviews the cases of people detained under the Mental Health Act, offering the possibility of discharge.
Allows for the extension of your detention period under certain sections, following a review.
Used when you're involved in legal proceedings and a court orders a medical assessment.
A court can send you to hospital for treatment instead of prison, usually following a criminal conviction.
Imposed alongside a Hospital Order, this adds specific restrictions and requires Home Office approval for discharge.
Allows for your transfer from prison to hospital for mental health treatment.
Imposes conditions on your transfer from prison to hospital, such as requiring Home Office approval.
Mandates that health and social services provide aftercare services once you're discharged from hospital.
Allows police to enter a property to remove you to a place of safety for a mental health assessment.
Empowers police to take you from a public place to a place of safety for an assessment, usually lasting up to 24 hours.
Do I Have to Be Sectioned to Get Treatment in Hospital?
No, you don't have to be sectioned to receive mental health treatment in a hospital. You can agree to go into the hospital in the usual manner, either through a referral from your GP or your psychiatrist. In this case, you would be a voluntary patient, also known as an 'informal patient.'
As a voluntary patient, you have the same rights as patients receiving treatment for other health issues. This means you can leave the hospital at any time, unless it becomes clear that you need to be detained under the Mental Health Act for your own safety or the safety of others.
For more information on this, see our pages on Voluntary or Informal Patient.