Section 2 MHA — MRCPsych Paper B MCQ
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Correct answer: D — 28 days
The correct answer is D: 28 days. Section 2 of the Mental Health Act 1983 authorises detention in hospital for assessment, or assessment followed by treatment, for a maximum of 28 days. It is not renewable, although the patient may subsequently be detained under section 3 if the statutory criteria for treatment are met. Seventy-two hours is associated with the doctor’s holding power under section 5(2), not section 2. Fourteen days is not the maximum section 2 detention period. Six months is the initial maximum duration of section 3 detention, while 12-month periods may arise in later renewals of section 3 rather than under section 2.
Reference: NHS, Mental Health Act, last reviewed 18 March 2026. https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/social-care-and-your-rights/mental-health-and-the-law/mental-health-act/