257Emergency declaration of designated mental health services

257 Emergency declaration of designated mental health services

(1) The Health Secretary, by notice published in the Government Gazette, may declare a hospital or service specified in subsection (2) to be a designated mental health service—

(a) for a period not exceeding 28 days if the Health Secretary is satisfied that an emergency exists; and

(b) for a further period or periods if the Health Secretary is satisfied that the emergency continues to exist.

(2) For the purposes of subsection (1), the following are specified—

(a) any public hospital or public health service (within the meaning of the Health Services Act 1988);

(b) a private hospital (within the meaning of the Health Services Act 1988) if the proprietor of the private hospital agrees.

Division 2—Information collection