Inpatient Treatment Order rights

What is an Inpatient Treatment Order?

An Inpatient Treatment Order is a legal way of providing treatment to a person with a mental illness when they are unable to agree to treatment and may not be safe.

An Inpatient Treatment Order can only be made when there are no less restrictive ways of ensuring that a person gets appropriate treatment.

What does it mean if I am on an Inpatient Treatment Order?

If you are on an Inpatient Treatment Order, you will be required to stay in a treatment centre and receive treatment for your mental illness.

You will have access to a comprehensive range of treatments, which are based on the best available evidence about what is most effective for your mental illness. 

Treatment may include:

  • talk therapy
  • medication
  • other interventions.

Treatment will be provided by trained health professionals such as:

  • doctors
  • nurses
  • occupational therapists
  • social workers
  • psychologists

These professionals will help you to get better. You can discuss your treatment at any time with the staff who are assisting you.

Statement of Rights brochure

You have rights as a patient under a mental health detention and treatment order and you can read about these in the downloadable brochure, which is available in English along with fifteen other community languages.