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Information for practitioners on s117 aftercare

Section 117 Aftercare

Section 117 of the Mental Health Act 1983 (MHA), amended in 2007, is the statutory duty on both health and local authorities to provide free aftercare for people who have been detained under certain sections of the Mental Health Act.

The purpose of Section 117 aftercare services is to meet the persons needs arising from or related to their mental health condition and reduce the risk of deterioration of their mental health condition (and accordingly the risk of admission).

The Section 117 Aftercare policy for Camden and Islington (updated December 2024) is available. 

Reviews should be held at every care planning meeting or at least every year. Earlier reviews may be requested by the person, carer(s) or any member of the person's care team. The Local Authority and ICB will consider the merits of conducting a review but should not withhold permission to carry out an early review unnecessarily.

If a person no longer requires active care/case management, but still requires Section 117 services such as residential care they will remain on the active review Section 117 list and require annual reviews in line with the guidance.

At the conclusion of the review meeting recommendations must be made as to whether:
• the aftercare plan needs to continue, or
• the aftercare plan needs to be modified in response to changing needs, or the need for specific services to avoid a readmission comes to an end, or
• the aftercare plan can be ended and the person discharged from Section 117. This decision will be made at an MDT meeting with final approval from the Mental Health Quality Assurance Funding panel or CLDS quality assurance panel in the relevant borough. There may be some people who receive Section 117 aftercare who go to the Camden or Islington ASC Mental Health Quality Assurance Panel dependent upon which teams hold case management responsibility.

The review meeting must always consider the following elements:
• the services required to meet the person’s needs and their purpose (including the differentiation between those services being provided under Section 117 and those provided as part of the person’s care and support package or universal services).
• if any changes to services require charging assessment.

The practitioner is responsible for recording the review on the Section 117 form on RIO - electronic NHS patient record and Mosaic- electronic Local authority record.

If an adult social care review has been carried out then this document must state that the person is eligible for Section 117 aftercare.

It is the responsibility of Camden and Islington local authorities to ensure that this information is recorded on their information systems.

Last updated: 23 January 2025