You are a sentenced prisoner. You have been moved from prison to hospital because on the advice of two doctors, the Secretary of State decided that you needed to spend time in hospital to have treatment for a serious mental health problem.

Most people who are on a section 47 are also under a restriction order from the Ministry of Justice. This is then known as a section 47/49.

Two doctors and the Ministry of Justice put you on the section.

You can be kept in hospital for up to six months at first so that you can be given the treatment you need.

If your responsible clinician thinks you need to stay in hospital for longer than six months, they can renew for another six months, and then for up to a year at a time.

When your treatment finishes, you will go back to prison. Most people who are on a section 47 are also under a section 49 which means that the Secretary of State decides when you can leave hospital.

If your sentence ends while you are in hospital and you still need treatment, you can be kept in hospital.

Yes. Medicine can be given to you with or without your consent. Your responsible clinician and other hospital staff will talk to you about any medicine that you need for your mental health problem. In most cases you will have to accept their advice.

After three months, if you do not want the medicine you are being given, an independent doctor called a SOAD (Second Opinion Appointed Doctor) will talk to you and to staff who know you. They will decide what medicine you can be given and except in an emergency, no other medicine can be given to you without your agreement.

Your responsible clinician can grant you leave (known as section 17 leave).

You can appeal to the Mental Health Tribunal, once in the first six months, once in the second six months and after that every year.

You can appeal to the Hospital Managers at any time and however many times you want, at the discretion of the Hospital Managers.

For help with an appeal speak to a member of the hospital staff or to an advocate.