South Australian Consolidated Acts South Australian Consolidated Acts12—Orders for admission and detention
(1) If, after
examining a person, a medical practitioner is satisfied—
(a) that
the person has a mental illness that requires immediate treatment; and
(b) that
such treatment is available in an approved treatment centre; and
(c) that
the person should be admitted as a patient and detained in an approved
treatment centre in the interests of his or her own health and safety or for
the protection of other persons,
the medical practitioner may make an order for the immediate admission and
detention of the person in an approved treatment centre.
(2) An order under
subsection (1), unless earlier revoked, expires three days after the day
on which it is made.
(3) A person admitted
and detained in an approved treatment centre pursuant to an order under
subsection (1) must be examined by a psychiatrist—
(a) if
it is practicable for the examination to take place within 24 hours of
admission—within that period; or
(b) if
it is not practicable for an examination to take place within 24 hours of
admission—as soon as practicable after admission.
(4) When the
psychiatrist has completed the examination—
(a) he
or she must, if not satisfied that the continued detention of the patient is
justified, revoke the order; or
(b) he
or she may, if satisfied that the continued detention of the patient is
justified, confirm the order.
(5) If an order for
detention has been confirmed under subsection (4), a psychiatrist may,
before the order expires and after examination of the patient (which should be
carried out during the 24 hours prior to that expiry), make an order for the
further detention of the patient for a period not exceeding 21 days commencing
on that expiry.
(6) A further order
(but one only) may be made for the detention of the patient for a period not
exceeding 21 days commencing on the expiry of the order under
subsection (5), if two psychiatrists (only one of whom may be one of the
psychiatrists who made the orders under subsections (1) and (5)) think it
is justified after each has separately examined the patient.
(7) An order cannot be
made under subsection (1) in relation to a patient who is being detained
pursuant to an order under subsection (5) or (6).
(8) The director of an
approved treatment centre in which a patient is detained pursuant to an order
made under subsection (5) or (6) may revoke that order at any time during
the period for which it is effective.
(9) A psychiatrist who
makes an order for detention under subsection (5) or (6) must forthwith
furnish the director of the treatment centre with a written report of the
results of his or her examination of the patient and of the grounds on which
the order was made.
(10) On receiving a
report under subsection (9) the director must forward a copy of the
report to the Board.