Sentencing Act 2020

Alternative arrangements for mental health treatment made by practitioner

18 (1) This paragraph applies where—

(a) an offender is being treated in pursuance of a mental health treatment requirement, and

(b) the treatment practitioner considers that part of the treatment can be better or more conveniently given in or at an institution or place—

(i) which is not specified in the relevant order, and

(ii) where the treatment will be given by or under the direction of a registered medical practitioner or registered psychologist.

(2) The treatment practitioner may make arrangements (“alternative arrangements”) for the offender to be treated accordingly.

(3) Alternative arrangements may be made only if the offender has expressed willingness for the treatment to be given under those arrangements.

(4) Alternative arrangements may provide for the offender to receive part of the treatment as a resident patient in an institution or place which could not have been specified for that purpose in the relevant order.

(5) Where alternative arrangements are made—

(a) the treatment for which the alternative arrangements provide is to be deemed to be treatment to which the offender must submit in pursuance of the mental health treatment requirement, and

(b) the treatment practitioner must give a notice in writing to the offender’s responsible officer, specifying the institution or place where that treatment is to be carried out.

(6) In this paragraph—

• “registered psychologist” means a person registered in the part of the register maintained under the Health Professions Order 2001 (S.I. 2002/254) which relates to practitioner psychologists;

• “treatment practitioner” means the medical practitioner or registered psychologist by or under whose direction the offender is being treated in pursuance of the mental health treatment requirement.