Adult Mental Health Laws

rossy

Hi i am just looking for anybodys advice on a matter.
Lets say Tom is in a adult mental health unit as a involintary patient(Against his will) and he escapes how long do the garda + hospital look for him.
As far as im aware when the papers were first signed to sign him in and he escaped then before he was brought to hospital the papers only hold true for a week is it the same once he escapes.

Sorry if this is the wrong forum for this.

sam34

prior to someone being brought to hospital on forms - the application and recommendation- yes, those forms are valid for a week.

once they get to the hospital they are held on a holding order for up to 24 hrs until they are seen by a consultant and a decision made whether they are then detained or not.

if they are detained and they later "escape" then the hospital will notify the guards. there's no specific set time that they will search for the person, they are an involuntary patient and they need to be found. any case I've been involved in, the person has been found v quickly, thankfully.

Otis Driftwood

Moved from PI.