Check a Victorian inpatient intervention against the purpose and authorisation rules
MaintainedLast reviewed
Key facts
- Human involvement
- YellowClose supervision
- How AI is used
- From the inpatient notes, mark the recorded purpose, the person who authorised the intervention, and any less restrictive option against sections 127, 128 and 132. Do not decide that the intervention was unlawful, and do not describe who section 126 covers.
- What the lawyer must review
- Decide whether the person is one section 126 specifies.
- Decide whether the purpose and the authorisation match the sections opened.
- Do not treat section 126 or section 131 as read. They were not opened.
- Keep health information in a firm-controlled tool, not a public one.
Rules that apply
The document starts from the task name. Change it if this piece of work is different.
The work product
Forum. Victoria. An inpatient restrictive intervention said to involve a person specified in section 126.
Produce. A marked row against sections 127, 128 and 132, with section 126 and section 131 left undescribed.
Have ready. Inpatient notes of the intervention; The name and role of the person recorded as authorising it; Any less restrictive option the notes record.
Example of the limit. Illustrative example: The notes say a registered nurse authorised physical restraint while an authorised psychiatrist was not immediately available. The tool records the section 127(a) purpose and the later notification. The lawyer decides whether section 126 applied. The tool does not decide the restraint was unlawful.
Stop and hand it back when
- The tool describes who section 126 covers.
- The tool decides the intervention was unlawful.
Sources for this task were checked on 2026-10-23.
Who does what
| Role | What they do |
|---|---|
| Assistance | Do not begin AI assistance until the responsible lawyer has defined and confirmed its permitted scope. |
| Lawyer | Set the scope, supervise the work closely, verify every part relied on, resolve omissions and exceptions, and approve the exact output. |
Checklist
- Use the row only for a person specified in section 126. Do not describe who that section covers.
- Section 127 allows the intervention only to prevent imminent and serious harm to that person or another person, or, for bodily restraint, to administer treatment or medical treatment.
- Section 128 requires that it be necessary for a section 127 purpose, and that all reasonable and less restrictive options have been tried or considered and found unsuitable.
- Seclusion or bodily restraint is authorised by an authorised psychiatrist or, if one is not reasonably available, a registered medical practitioner or the nurse in charge. Chemical restraint is authorised by an authorised psychiatrist or, if one is not reasonably available, a registered medical practitioner or a nurse practitioner acting within their ordinary scope of practice.
- A registered nurse may authorise physical restraint only if an authorised psychiatrist, a registered medical practitioner or the nurse in charge is not immediately available, and only for the purpose in section 127(a). The nurse notifies one of those people as soon as practicable. If the restraint is continuing, that person authorises continued use or refuses and releases the person.
Sources
- Mental Health and Wellbeing Act 2022 (Vic) s 127 · 2026-10-23
- Mental Health and Wellbeing Act 2022 (Vic) s 128 · 2026-10-23
- Mental Health and Wellbeing Act 2022 (Vic) s 132 · 2026-10-23
Section 132(5) says the nurse is not required to have regard to section 131(1) and (2). Section 131 was not opened, so those matters are not described.
These sections are not applied to a person outside section 126. The tool does not decide that question.
Health information stays in a firm-controlled tool. Rule 9.1 of the Legal Profession Uniform Law Australian Solicitors' Conduct Rules 2015, as described by the Victorian Legal Services Board and Commissioner, and APP 11, apply. The lawyer decides whether any loss is notifiable under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth).