Mental Health

SAT hears appeals of the Mental Health Tribunal decisions under the Mental Health Act 2014.

There are no fees for filing an appeal application.

How does SAT handle mental health appeals?

When SAT reviews the Tribunal’s decisions it is constituted by a panel consisting of:

• a judicial member, a senior member or a legally qualified member,
• a psychiatrist (if the proceeding is an adult, a member who is psychiatrist, or if the proceeding is a child, a member who is a child and adolescent psychiatrist), and
• a person who is neither a legally qualified member nor a medical practitioner, nor a mental health practitioner who is a staff member of a mental health service or private psychiatric hostel, and referred to as a community member.

SAT conducts the hearing afresh and is not confined to matters that were before the Tribunal. It may consider new material. SAT is not restricted to evidence about the patient as considered by the Tribunal.

Can I appeal a SAT review of a Mental Health Tribunal decision?

If you are dissatisfied with SAT’s appeal decision, you may appeal SAT’s decision to the Supreme Court under the Mental Health Act 2014.