Part of Recording patients on extended Section 17 leave
Guidance on recording when a patient is recalled to hospital from extended S17 leave
If the patient is recalled to hospital, the record covering the period of extended S17 leave should be closed and a new record opened for this stay in hospital.
It is recognised that in some circumstances a patient may be recalled to hospital only very briefly, for example to ensure compliance with medication, before returning to the community on leave. In these circumstances, a period of 48 hours is granted for commissioners and relevant parties to reach consensus about the likelihood of the person returning to the community on leave within a couple of days:
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- if the person is expected to remain in hospital for at least a few days, the record covering the period of extended S17 leave should be closed and a new record opened for this stay in hospital
- if the person is expected to return to the community within a couple of days, no action is required on AT at this point
- if no action has been taken on AT and the patient is still in hospital 1 week after recall, the commissioner should then close the record covering the period of extended S17 leave and open a new record to reflect this stay in hospital
1. Close the existing record that reflects the period of extended S17 leave
The fields in the table below need to be completed.
| Question number | Question | Guidance |
|---|---|---|
| Q49 | Date of closure of record | Date when patient returned to hospital |
| Q50 | Record closed | Code 15 = Other |
| Q41r | Discharge | Leave blank |
2. Open a new record for the patient’s return to hospital
Open a new record for the patient’s return to hospital replicating the information in the record covering the period of extended S17 leave.
The following questions must be amended:
| Question number | Question | Guidance |
|---|---|---|
| Q7a | Source of admission code | Code 99 not yet known |
| Q7b | Full postcode of source of admission | Postcode of community setting where patient was on extended S17 leave |
| Q11a | Start Date | Date of recall to hospital must be same as Q49 (Date of closure of record) in closed record |
| Q11b | Date of first admission to any hospital | Leave blank – a value is not accepted in this field unless the source of admission is coded as a hospital setting |
| Q18b | Is the patient on S17 extended leave (linked to a legal judgment e.g. MM)? | Enter code N |
| Q41q | Point 11.2. Community move/discharge: S17 leave underway as part of transition to community placement | Enter code N |
Other questions should be updated as necessary. If the person remains in hospital, the record should then be kept up to date in a timely manner as for any other inpatient.
A patient on extended S17 leave who is recalled to hospital may not have a current open record on AT for that period of leave. In that situation, a record will need to be opened for the period of recall to hospital (even if it is only brief and they then return to the community).
Record the hospital and bed type they are in, and the date they were recalled to hospital in Q11a.
In Q7a, 'Source of Admission code', please use 49 (secure) or 53 (non-secure) relating to the bed they are being recalled to. In Q11b record your best estimate of when they were originally admitted to hospital (that is, before they went on leave).
All other questions will need to be answered to the best of your knowledge – if there is an earlier closed record on AT this may provide details of the person’s stay in hospital prior to going on extended S17 leave.
Last edited: 18 November 2024 9:11 am