Mental Health Act section 117 aftercare services
Information about aftercare services, including details of support and entitlement
Some people who have been kept in hospital under the Mental Health Act can get free help and support after they leave hospital. The law that gives this right is section 117 of the Mental Health Act, and is often referred to as section 117 aftercare.
Aftercare
Aftercare is the help you will get in the community after you leave hospital. This can cover all kinds of things; such as healthcare, social care and supported accommodation.
Section 117 of the Mental Health Act says that aftercare services are services which are intended to:
- meet a need that arises from or relates to your mental health problem
- reduce the risk of your mental condition getting worse and you having to go back to hospital
Entitlement
You are entitled to section 117 aftercare if you have been in hospital under the following sections of the Mental Health Act 1983:
- section 3
- section 37
- section 45A
- section 47
- section 48
Aftercare is the help and support you need to minimise the risk of you returning to hospital or relapsing as a result of your mental health.
You should receive an assessment of your Health and Social Care aftercare needs prior to your discharge from hospital.
Heath and Social Care teams have a statutory duty to assess your needs jointly; this means they may discuss your case to ensure that you get the right services at the right time.
Section 117 means that you will not be charged for your aftercare services which have been identified when you are discharged from hospital.
You may receive aftercare from NHS and/or social services.
End of individual aftercare
Your aftercare should only stop when the services you receive from the NHS and/or social services are no longer needed to meet your assessed aftercare needs.
You may still be entitled to receive NHS and social care services outside of your aftercare needs; such as access to a GP, other community services or community mental health teams.
Services for social care outside of aftercare needs are subject to Hampshire County Council's 'Paying for Care' policy. Ask your social worker about this policy for further information.
Further information and support
If you have any problems or questions, you should talk to your care coordinator, social worker or your other contacts within the NHS or social services. An advocate might be able to help you do this.
Mental Health advocacy services in Hampshire are run by VoiceAbility. Visit their website or contact them by email: [email protected]
The information on this web page is also available as an Easy Read leaflet: Information about Mental Health Act section 117 aftercare services
Further information and advice is available from: MIND, the mental health charity