Hi, does anyone know how Section 133 is usually done and what a Nearest Relative can do where their Loved One is being discharged before they are well enough to be sent home and the discharge will actually make the already disabled Nearest Relative more unwell.
Every MH NHS Trust should have a written policy about how they will work with carers. (I appreciate that a carer is not precisely the same thing as the nearest relative under the MHA). Every MH Trust should be signed up to the Triangle of Care.
In addition there is Statutory Guidance for all NHS Trusts dated Jan 2024 which states how hospitals should always engage carers when discharging people from hospital. This includes discharges from MH inpatient care.
Despite all this, there are still many examples of carers not being involved in discharge planning by NHS Trusts.
This is not about being included in discharge plans and meetings, it’s about the statutory notice that should be provided by the hospital managers which of course is completely different than the communication between the carers and the hospital team. Would we allow the hospital communicating well with the carers and nearest relative to exempt them sending the section 2 or 3 paperwork?