The “hospital managers” is a statutory role as defined in the Mental Health Act 1983 (2007) (the Act). It provides a safeguard for those patients who are detained under the Act or subject to community treatment orders and championing patients rights. In Wales NHS hospitals are managed by Local Health Boards. For these hospitals these are defined as the “hospital managers” for the purposes of the Act.
The hospital managers may delegate many of their functions to officers employed by the health board except the review of detention or community treatment orders which may only be delegated beyond Hospital Managers to suitably experienced lay members who have been appointed and trained to consider and possibly exercise the power of discharge from those under the Act.
Re-appointment of members will be preceded by a tri-annual review.