Review Board
MHC Act 17 of 2002 stipulates that there must be a board
● They are an independent body consisting of a psychiatrist, lawyer, social worker, member of
the public and sometimes also a well, ex-MHCU.
Their role:
● Ensure steps followed according to MHCA
● Provide legal assistance to patient if requested
● Checks forms completed correctly: ensure legitimacy of process and accuracy of forms (they
have to fill in a form 13 to say that the hospital does have grounds to do the 72 hour
assessment and hold the patient during this time)
● Ensure no one is detained erroneously
● Ensure procedures are followed
● Reviews case if patient sends form 15 (for an appeal); MHCB needs to give notice of receiving
application within 7 days and see patient within 30 days
Involuntary admission
Fill in a form 04: an application in the head of the health establishment for the assessment of
a user. Specify that it is as an involuntary patient.
Needs to be filled out by:
● Someone who knows patient well/sees daily
● An associate
● MHC practitioner if no one else (would have to specify why it is them filling it in,
what efforts were made to find someone, and why you think they need to be
admitted)
● Everyone must be over 18!
2. Form 04 then needs to be commissioned
2. Once this is filled in, the patient needs to present within 2 days of the form being filled out.
2. Next, two separate doctors/MHC practitioners need to do independent assessments of the
patient. At least one must be a doctor.
2. They both fill out a form 05, which is a continued application to say that they believe the
patient needs further 72 hour assessment.
2. If their assessments agree, a form 07 is filled in, which is an application to the head of the
health establishment to detail the patient for 72 hours for further care as a designated
facility approved for this. When this is signed by the head of establishment, is when the 72
hours start.
2. During the 72 hours, patient needs to be seen daily by a medical doctor and continuous
notes must be made.
2. After that time, two form 06s can be filled out (by two independent MHC practitioners, as
least one is a doctor).
2. After 72 hour assessment, all forms submitted to MHC review board who must fill in a form
13 to say that the hospital has grounds to keep the patient in hospital.
If the head of head establishment believes that the patient needs further inpatient care after
72 hours, (s)he fills in a form 08.
f need to be admitted as emergency patient: form 01.
If transferring patient: form 11
