— The TPC was informed by the HESC DCP that the 2024 amendment tp Tribunal rule 35 introducing paper reference hearings for detained patients "had accidentally altered the Tribunal’s approach to cases involving community patients". The main change is that the first and every alternate hearing thereafter must be oral hearings. The TPC decided that this should be resolved at the earliest opportunity, subject to legal advice on potential judicial review and the Public Sector Equality Duty, and also sought "any available statistical data on the annual number of community patient cases received by the Tribunal and to provide a breakdown for: i) first reference (paper cases at 6 months), ii) reference at the three years stage and iii) the number of Section 68(7) Community Treatment Orders that had been revoked (and then back in the community)".
Full details available at: https://www.mentalhealthlaw.co.uk/Tribunal_Procedure_Committee,_%27Minutes%27_(6_February_2025)?id=270625-1016