Mental Health Act 2014

This section applies if —

the place where a referral is made under section 26(2) or (3)(a) is outside a metropolitan area; and

the person responsible for taking the person who is referred to the place where the examination will be conducted forms the opinion that the referral is likely to expire before the person is received into the hospital or other place.

The person responsible —

may orally request an extension of the referral from —

the medical practitioner or authorised mental health practitioner who made the referral; or

if the practitioner referred to in subparagraph (i) is not reasonably available — another medical practitioner or authorised mental health practitioner who is at the same place as the practitioner referred to in subparagraph (i); or

if neither the practitioner referred to in subparagraph (i) nor a practitioner referred to in subparagraph (ii) is reasonably available — another medical practitioner or authorised mental health practitioner;

may extend the referral himself or herself if —

there is no medical practitioner or authorised mental health practitioner reasonably available to whom an application could be made under paragraph (a); and

the person responsible is a medical practitioner or authorised mental health practitioner.

The practitioner or person responsible may extend the referral if satisfied that the referral is likely to expire before the person is received into the authorised hospital or other place.

The referral may be extended for a further period of 72 hours from the time when the 72‑hour period referred to in section 44 ends.

The person who extends the referral must, as soon as practicable —

record the extension in the approved form, specifying the following —

the date and time when the referral was extended;

the date and time when, because of the extension, the referral will expire;

the reasons for the extension;

file the record and give a copy to the person who is referred.

The referral cannot be extended more than once.