IF THEY DISCHARGE ME, CAN I LEAVE HOSPITAL IMMEDIATELY? Yes you can, although you may want to stay as an informal patient while aftercare services are put in place for you. In some cases the tribunal may not discharge you immediately, but may set a future date when you will be discharged. This may be to allow for services to be arranged for you, including aftercare services, although usually at least some of these should have been discussed and planned before your hearing. If the tribunal does not discharge you, it may make recommendations about your future care, including whether you should continue to be cared for under section or whether, in the future, you should receive care as an informal patient.
RESTRICTED PATIENTS If you are a restricted patient but did not come to hospital from prison, the tribunal can discharge you, but this may be with certain conditions. If you are a restricted patient and were transferred from prison to hospital, the tribunal can recommend to the Secretary of State for Justice that you should be discharged from your section and where you should receive care and treatment after that.
WHAT IS A TRIBUNAL?