(3) If it appears to a medical practitioner employed at all institution or other place in which an informal patient is detained that the patient is mentally disordered or intellectually handicapped to such a degree that it is necessary, in the interests of his health or welfare or the safety of others, to restrain him from leaving the institution or place, the medical practitioner— (a) may direct that the patient be detained in the institution or place for not more than seventy-two hours; and (b) if he gives a direction in terms of paragraph (a), shall immediately notify the superintendent of the institution or place, who shall forthwith send the Secretary a written report as to the patient’s mental and physical condition. (4) If it appears to a psychiatric nurse practitioner or a psychiatric nurse that— (a) an informal patient is mentally disordered or intellectually handicapped to such a degree that it is necessary, in the interests of his health or welfare or the safety of others, to restrain him from leaving the institution or other place in which he is detained; and (b) it is impractical to secure the immediate attendance of a medical practitioner to examine the patient for the purposes of subsection (3); the psychiatric nurse practitioner or psychiatric nurse may direct that the patient be detained in the institution or other place for not more than twenty-four hours. (5) On receipt of a report in terms of subsection (3), the Secretary may— (a) direct that the patient be dealt with as if an application for his admission into the institution or other place concerned had been made in terms of section fifty-three; or (b) direct that an application be made for a reception order in respect of the patient; or (c) direct that the patient be discharged; or (d) give such other order or direction with respect to the case as he thinks fit. 50 Procedure where doubt arises as to continued consent to treatment of informal patient (1) If an informal patient who has attained his majority becomes incapable, though mental disorder or intellectual handicap, of expressing himself as willing or unwilling to continue to receive treatment — (a) he shall not thereafter be detained in the institution or place as an informal patient for more than twentyeight days unless in the meantime he has regained his power of expression; and (b) the superintendent of the institution or place in which the patient is detained shall send the Secretary a written report as to the patient’s circumstances and his mental and physical condition. (2) If— (a) an informal patient who has not attained his majority ceases to have a parent or guardian; or (b) the parent or guardian of an informal patient referred to in paragraph (a) is incapable performing his duties as such, or refuses or persistently neglects to perform them; the superintendent of the institution or place in which the patient is detained shall forthwith send the Secretary a written report as to the patient’s circumstances and his mental and physical condition. (3) On receipt of a report in terms of subsection (1) or (2), the Secretary may— (a) direct that the patient be dealt with as if an application for his admission into the institution or other place concerned had been made in terms of section fifty-three or sixty-one; or (b) direct that an application be made for a reception order in respect of the patient; or (c) direct that the patient be discharged; or (d) give such other order or direction with respect to the case as he thinks fit. 51 Application of Part to patients in single care Sections forty-eight, forty-nine and fifty shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to any patient received into single care in terms of subsection (2) or (3) of section forty-seven as if the person into whose charge the patient is received were the superintendent of an institution. PART VII TEMPORARY TREATMENT WITHOUT C ERTIFICATION 52 Places that may receive patients for temporary treatment (1) The Minister may authorize any hospital, nursing-home or other place to receive patients in terms of this Part for temporary treatment without a reception order. (2) An authority in terms of subsection (1) may be absolute or subject to such conditions as the Minister thinks fit. (3) The Minister may at any time revoke an authority in terms of subsection (1) or amend any of the conditions subject to which it was given: