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GP/Medical Practitioner ensures hospital bed available. ASW, Medical Practitioner and relevant others carry out an assessment on how best to convey the person safely to hospital

The medical practitioner who has made the medical recommendation should contact the hospital in the Trust area responsible for the person whose detention is sought to secure a bed. If a bed is not available consultation should take place with the person / persons responsible for bed management in that Trust to ensure that a bed is located in another Trust.

An assessment of how best the person can be conveyed to the identified hospital should be carried out by the ASW and the recommending medical practitioner.

Who has responsibility for ensuring that the person is conveyed to hospital?

The applicant has responsibility for ensuring that a person is conveyed to hospital. In most situations the applicant will be the Approved Social Worker. The ASW has a professional responsibility for ensuring that:

  • The person is transported in the most humane and least threatening mode of transport consistent with the needs and the safety of the person and any escort/s;
  • All the legalities have been observed in relation to the process;
  • All necessary arrangements are made for the person's conveyance to hospital and that the Patient is properly admitted to the hospital

How will the person be conveyed to hospital?

The Code states that the person will normally be conveyed to hospital by ambulance or other vehicle provided by NIAS.

The ASW should carry out an assessment, if possible in consultation with the medical practitioner and others involved, and consider how best the person can be safely conveyed to hospital. The most appropriate means of transport will depend on, and take account of, the person's own individual circumstances, needs and wishes and an assessment of the risks that may exist for both the person and others involved in the process. LINK TO ROLE OF NIAS

The outcome of the assessment may be: 25 or 27 or 30