section 5(2)(Mental Health Act)
Last reviewed 01/2018
Section 5(2) allows the compulsory detention of a patient already receiving inpatient treatment for a duration of up to 72 hours by the doctor in charge of the case.
As for Section 2, the patient must be suffering from a mental disorder and be a potential danger to himself or to others. The detention is to allow time for an application for admission under Section 2 or 3 to be made.