Leaving hospital
Explains your rights related to leaving hospital after being sectioned and detained under the Mental Health Act 1983.
Useful contacts for support with leaving hospital
How to find an advocate
To find advocacy services and groups in your area, you could call Mind's Legal Line on 0300 466 6463. Or contact your local Mind.
If you're in hospital:
- In England – contact the Patient Advice Liaison Service (PALS)
- In Wales – contact Llais
If you've been sectioned, you have a right to access an independent mental health advocate (IMHA). You can ask the ward staff to arrange you a meeting with them.
To find out more, see our information on advocacy.
Useful contacts – your rights when leaving hospital
This list offers contact details for organisations and services that can offer legal information, support and advice.
Some of these contacts can offer you information and support if:
- You're trying to get discharged from hospital, or trying to help someone do this
- You've been discharged from hospital, or you're supporting someone through this
The Advocacy People
theadvocacypeople.org.uk
Charity providing advocacy services, including IMHA services.
Care Quality Commission (CQC)
03000 616 161
cqc.org.uk
[email protected]
Regulates and inspects health and social care services in England.
Citizens Advice
0800 144 8848 (England Adviceline)
0800 702 2020 (Wales Adviceline)
18001 0800 144 8884 (textphone)
citizensadvice.org.uk
Free, confidential information and advice on your rights. Including money, housing, discrimination and other problems. Provides helplines and a chat service on weekdays.
Civil Legal Advice (CLA)
gov.uk/civil-legal-advice
Can tell you if you're eligible for legal aid, and give you free and confidential legal advice if so.
First-tier Tribunal (Mental Health)
gov.uk/courts-tribunals/first-tier-tribunal-mental-health
Deals with cases in England relating to the Mental Health Act 1983.
Healthcare Inspectorate Wales (HIW)
hiw.org.uk
Independent regulator for healthcare in Wales. You can make complaints and give feedback on experiences of care in Wales.
Law Centres Network
lawcentres.org.uk
Information about Law Centres, which defend the legal rights of people who can't afford a lawyer. Includes a searchable directory.
Law Society
lawsociety.org.uk
Professional association for solicitors in England and Wales. Includes a searchable directory of solicitors.
Legal aid checker
gov.uk/check-legal-aid
Tells you whether you're entitled to free legal aid to help pay for legal advice.
Mental Health Lawyers Association
mhla.co.uk
Professional association for solicitors specialising in mental health law. Includes a list of solicitors by local area.
Mental Health Review Tribunal for Wales
mentalhealthreviewtribunal.gov.wales
Deals with cases in Wales relating to the Mental Health Act 1983.
Independent mental health advocate (IMHA)
An IMHA is an advocate. They're specially trained to help you find out your rights under the Mental Health Act 1983. And to help you while you're detained. They can listen to what you want and speak for you.
You have a right to an IMHA if you are:
- Detained in hospital under a section of the Mental Health Act, but not if you are under sections 4, 5, 135 and 136
- Under Mental Health Act guardianship, conditional discharge and community treatment orders (CTOs)
- Discussing having certain treatments, such as electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).
In Wales, voluntary patients can also have an IMHA.
See our page on IMHAs in England and Wales for more information.
Visit our full listing of Legal TermsSection
Being 'sectioned' means that you're kept in hospital under the Mental Health Act. There are different types of sections. Each have different rules to keep you in hospital. The length of time that you can be kept in hospital depends on which section you're detained under.
See our pages on sectioning for more information.
Visit our full listing of Legal TermsPublished: August 2026
Next review planned: August 2029
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