Benefits for psychiatric patients

There have been a few changes to the benefits of some of the patients where I work. This affects patients in Forensic units, and maybe others.

• people on a section 45A or 47 are no longer entitled to benefits until their prison sentence expires
• they will still get 'hospital pocket money' of £16.40 a week
• other people who previously had their benefits cut after 52 weeks will have the full benefit reinstated

Full details are in the DoH circular Changes to benefit entitlements for patients transferred from prison to mental health units, 6 April 2006.