title: Detention on a general ward: understanding and applying the law.
abstract: From April 2007 there will be two acts of parliament that govern the legal detention of patients in hospitahl: the Mental Health Act 1983 and the Mental Capacity Act 2005. This article addresses common questions posed to liaison psychiatrists by hospital doctors: how to legally detain patients on general wards and how these Acts are applied.
authors.affiliation: Queens Medical Centre, Nottingham.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schofield
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Holden
mesh_terms: D003134:Commitment of Persons with Psychiatric Disorders / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006769:Hospitals, General / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006801:Humans; D016743:Mental Competency / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D028642:Persons with Psychiatric Disorders / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D010362:Patients' Rooms / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D012149:Restraint, Physical / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence