Admission of Mentally Patient:
Voluntary Basis (Voluntary Admission)
Any adult person who considers himself to be mentally ill, can request the Medical Officer for admission in public or private psychiatric hospital. A child under the age of 16 may be admitted at the request of his parents or guardian. The patient'is admitted for 24 hours, then a board consisting of Medical Officer, will decide whether such a voluntary patient needs further treatment or should be discharged. In that case the treatment is continued for a period of not exceeding 90 days at a time.
Involuntary Basis (Commitment: Reception Order with Petition):
Any mentally ill person who does not, or is unable to express his willingness for admission as a voluntary patient, may be admitted involuntary in psychiatric hospital by his guardian. Once the patient is committed, he cannot leave the hospital against medical advice. The patient is permitted to leave only when psychiatrist decides that the patient is able to care for himself and not dangerous to self and others. The involuntary admitted patient loses his civil rights.
Reception Order Without Petition
Almost all psychiatric hospitals have provision for emergency commitment for patients who are acutely ill. Wandering mentally ill person who is believed to be incapable of taking care of herself/himself or dangerous mentally ill person, ill treated or neglected mentally ill-person is often taken in custody by police and is produced before the magistrate. The magistrate after examining the person can have him examined by a medical officer in addition to making any other suitable enquiries. After the medical officer issues a medical certificate, the Magistrate may then
- Issue a reception order for admission in an asylum
- Or send him to a licensed psychiatric hospital
- Or summon a relative and order him to properly care for the mentally ill person
- Or order a temporary detention pending further enquiry