Patient release law not enforceable

Legislation to allow for the conditional release of patients held at the Central Mental Hospital on foot of a court order is …

Legislation to allow for the conditional release of patients held at the Central Mental Hospital on foot of a court order is not enforceable, the chairman of the Mental Health Criminal Law Review Board has said.

In the board’s report for 2008, its chairman Justice Brian McCracken said though legislation empowers the board to discharge some patients subject to conditions, it could discharge none last year because legal advice said the conditions would be unenforceable.

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