Mental Health Review Tribunal
Annual Reports
Who is on the Tribunal? |
What does the Tribunal do? |
How to Contact the Tribunal
The Tribunal was established under the Mental Health and Related Services Act
1998 (the Act). It is an independent statutory body that has the power to make
decisions about the care and treatment of people who have a mental illness or
mental disturbance.
The majority of Tribunal hearings are held to decide whether a person needs
to be treated as an involuntary patient, either in hospital or in the community,
in accordance with the Act.
Decisions made by the Tribunal are enforceable by law.
The Tribunal sits in Darwin and Alice Springs on a weekly basis. Tribunal hearings
for remote locations may be held by video or telephone conferencing.
The Tribunal sits as a 3-member panel. It comprises a legal member (a qualified
lawyer or magistrate), a medical member (a qualified psychiatrist), and a member
with special interest or expertise in the area of mental health, who represents
the general community.
For a full list of members please refer to the Tribunal’s most recent
Annual Report link on this site.
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Who is on the Tribunal?
The Tribunal has a pool of members who are rostered to sit at hearings. Three
members sit at each hearing:
- A legal member who is a qualified lawyer;
- A medical member who is a qualified psychiatrist;
- A community member who is a person with particular expertise and/or interest
in the area of mental health.
Tribunal members are appointed by the Administrator of the Northern Territory.
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What does the Tribunal do?
The main functions of the Tribunal are:
- To review whether or not a person should continue to be an involuntary patient.
This review must take place within 7 days of their admission to a mental health
facility.
- To decide whether or not a person should be treated as an involuntary patient
in the community.
- To review whether or not a person should continue to be a voluntary patient.
These reviews take place after voluntary admission of 3 months or more in
a mental health facility.
- To decide on applications from treating doctors to administer non-standard
treatment, such as electro-convulsive therapy (ECT), to involuntary patients.
- To hear requests for a review of a decision about a person’s admission
or treatment.
- To hear appeals against a decision about a person’s admission or treatment.
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How to contact the Tribunal:
All inquiries, lodgement of forms and correspondence in relation to review
and appeal hearings are made to the Registrar or Deputy Registrar located at:
Level 3
9 - 11 Cavenagh Street
Darwin NT 0800
Postal Address:
PO Box 1281 Darwin NT 0801
Phone: 08 8999 1474
Fax: 08 8999 1473
E-mail: mentalhealthreviewtribunal@nt.gov.au
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Last Updated:
4/03/05
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Courts
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