These guidelines have been developed to provide general guidance to Regional Forensic Mental Health Services (RFMHSs) and other government agencies who need to safely transport special patients between secure forensic mental health facilities and other services, including courts, prisons and medical appointments in general hospitals. They may also provide general guidance to the Forensic Coordination Service – Intellectual Disability (FCS-ID) in some circumstances.
They reflect the requirements in section 53A of the Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Act 1992 (Mental Health Act), which was introduced in 2021 by the Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Amendment Act 2021. They should be read in conjunction with Part 4 of the Mental Health Act. These are not clinical guidelines but rather are issued under section 130(a) of the Mental Health Act and are intended to support the lawful application of section 53(A) of that Act.