The 'Hospital Managers' are people from the community who act very much like school Governors and are non-Executive Directors of the hospital's Board of Directors. They act on behalf of the hospitals NHS Trust that runs the hospital. The managers have the power to discharge the patient (let the patient go) and a duty to refer certain cases to the Mental Health Review Tribunal. The Managers can also hold hearings at their own discretion for any reason.

They must hold a hearing for any of the following reasons:-

• at the patients request;
• on the renewal of detention;
• when the nearest relative is barred from discharging the patient.

The patient can appeal to the Managers if they are under Sections 2, 3 (which allows you to be detained for up to 28 days for assessment) or 37 (this section allows you to be detained for up to six months for treatment.). The Managers do not have powers of discharge for other detained patients but may recommend a discharge. A patient may appeal to the Managers as often as he/she wishes.

BACK