A Brief Guide to Section 117 Aftercare for patients and relatives

Section 117 of the Mental Health Act 1983 lays down a duty for the local authority and the NHS to provide services for people who have been detained and then discharged from certain sections of the Mental Health Act. I quite often get emails from relatives of people with mental illness asking questions relating to Section 117. It often appears that the regulations and guidance relating to Section 117 are not being adhered to, or patients and relatives are not being kept in the loop when arrangements for aftercare are being made. I thought therefore that it might be helpful to lay out what the rights of patients and relatives are relating to Section 117.