New South Wales Repealed Acts

This legislation has been repealed.

MENTAL HEALTH ACT 1990 - SECT 4

4 Care, treatment and control of mentally ill and mentally disordered persons

(1) The objects of this Act in relation to the care, treatment and control of persons who are mentally ill or mentally disordered are:

(a) to provide for the care, treatment and control of those persons, and

(b) to facilitate the care, treatment and control of those persons through community care facilities and hospital facilities, and

(c) to facilitate the provision of hospital care for those persons on an informal and voluntary basis where appropriate and, in a limited number of situations, on an involuntary basis, and

(d) while protecting the civil rights of those persons, to give an opportunity for those persons to have access to appropriate care.

(2) It is the intention of Parliament that the provisions of this Act are to be interpreted and that every function, discretion and jurisdiction conferred or imposed by this Act is, as far as practicable, to be performed or exercised so that:

(a) persons who are mentally ill or who are mentally disordered receive the best possible care and treatment in the least restrictive environment enabling the care and treatment to be effectively given, and

(b) in providing for the care and treatment of persons who are mentally ill or who are mentally disordered, any restriction on the liberty of patients and other persons who are mentally ill or mentally disordered and any interference with their rights, dignity and self-respect are kept to the minimum necessary in the circumstances.