View source for Responsible Clinician/Approved Clinician replaces Responsible Medical Officer

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"Responsible clinician" is defined in [[s34]] as:

:(a) in relation to a patient liable to be detained by virtue of an application for admission for assessment or an application for admission for treatment, or a community patient, the approved clinician with overall responsibility for the patient's case; 

:(b) in relation to a patient subject to guardianship, the approved clinician authorised by the responsible local social services authority to act (either generally or in any particular case or for any particular purpose) as the responsible clinician

"Approved clinician" is defined in [[s145]] as:

:... a person approved by the Secretary of State (in relation to England) or by the Welsh Ministers (in relation to Wales) to act as an approved clinician for the purposes of this Act

In contrast with a [[Responsible Medical Officer]], an RC does not need to be a doctor. However, sometimes a doctor is still required, for example the recommendations for initial detention under section 2 or 3 must be made by a registered medical practitioner.

==Commencement==
{{mha change info|1/4/08|4|17|[[s142A]]|3/11/08|7|9|[[s5]], [[s17]], [[s20]], [[s21B]], [[s23]], [[s24]], [[s25]], [[s34]]|"|"|10|[[s35]], [[s36]], [[s37]], [[s38]], [[s41]], [[s44]], [[s45A]]|"|"|11|[[s50]], [[s51]], [[s52]], [[s53]], [[s54]], [[s55]], [[sched 1|sch 1 pt 2 para 3]]|"|"|12|[[s57]], [[s58]], [[s61]], [[s62]], [[s63]], [[s64]]|"|"|13|[[s67]], [[s76]], [[s79]]|"|"|14|[[s118]], [[s120]], [[s121]], [[s134]], [[s145]]|"|"|15|[Other Acts, including [[CPIA 1964 s5A]](4)]|"|"|16|[[s12]]|"|"|s55, sch 11|[[s20]], [[s21B]], [[s61]]}}

==Related changes==

{{mha change|renewal}}

{{mha change|AMHP}}

==External links==
[http://old.nimhe.csip.org.uk/silo/files/new-ways-brochure.pdf NIMHE: Mental Health Act 2007 New Roles: Guidance for approving authorities on Approved Mental Health Professionals and Approved Clinicians] - Published 22/10/08

[http://www.nmhdu.org.uk/silo/files/nww-new-roles-report-mar-2009-.pdf NIMHE: New Roles Early Implementer Site Project] - Nurses etc becoming approved clinicians and AMHPs - published March 2009

[http://www.wales.nhs.uk/sites3/page.cfm?orgid=816&pid=33959 Training materials on Welsh "HOWIS" website]

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