New South Wales Consolidated Acts

MENTAL HEALTH ACT 2007 - SECT 74A

74A Information to be given to voluntary patients

(1) An authorised medical officer of a mental health facility must give a person who becomes a voluntary patient of the facility an oral explanation and a written statement of the person's legal rights and other entitlements under this Act.

(2) The explanation and statement must be given as soon as practicable after the person becomes a voluntary patient of the mental health facility, whether or not the patient was a patient or detained in the facility immediately before becoming a voluntary patient.

(3) The written statement is to be in the form set out in Schedule 3A.

(4) If the authorised medical officer is of the opinion that the person is not capable of understanding the explanation or statement when it is first given, another explanation or statement must be given to the person if the person becomes capable of understanding the explanation or statement.

(5) The authorised medical officer must, if the person is unable to communicate adequately in English but is able to communicate adequately in another language, arrange for the oral explanation to be given in that other language.