Your rights under the Mental Health Act: Section 4

The court has said you can be kept here under Section 4 of the Mental Health Act.

This is because a doctor thinks you need special care, in hospital to make you feel better.

You will be kept in hospital for up to 72 hours (3 days).

You must not leave during this time unless your doctor says you can.

If you try to go you can be stopped.

If you leave you can be brought back.

Another doctor will see you and may say that you need to stay in hospital for longer.

Your doctor or nurse will give you more information and tell you for how long this is likely to be.

Your doctor and nurse will talk to you about any treatment they think you will need.

You can refuse any treatment you do not want. Only in special circumstances can you be given treatment you do not agree to.

A copy of this leaflet will be given to the person the Mental Health Act says is your nearest relative.

If you do not want this person to be sent this leaflet please tell your nurse.

You can get letters while you are in hospital.

You can send letters to anyone except someone who has said they do not want to get letters from you.

Speak to your nurse who will help you complain to the right person.

You can also write to the Care Quality Commission.

Your nurse will give you a leaflet explaining more.

Please tell a member of staff.

Freephone 0800 052 0219.

or email [email protected].

We’d like to know if this information was:

• Good or bad
• If anything was missing you wanted to know

If there was anything you didn’t understand let a member of your care team know.