Hospital direction

This is an order which the Crown Court can make at the same time as sentencing a psychopatically disordered offender to imprisonment: s45A(1),(2). A hospital direction is given alongside a limitation direction: s45A(3).

A hospital direction has the same effect as a transfer direction under s47. A limitation direction has the same effect as a restriction direction under s49.

Therefore, the patient is treated as if he had been transferred from prison under s47/49 and, before the end of the sentence, can be transferred 'back' to prison.

See MHA 1983 s45A and 45B for further details.