Article 4 of the Saudi Mental Health Law
المادة 4 من نظام الرعاية الصحية النفسية
The Article sets the powers of the General Supervisory Council, including overseeing the Law's application and monitoring facilities, creating local councils, hearing grievances and reviewing compulsory admission decisions.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يختص مجلس المراقبة العام للرعاية الصحية النفسية بالآتي:
1 - اقتراح تطوير وتحسين الرعاية الصحية النفسية ورفعه إلى مجلس الخدمات الصحية.
2 - الإشراف العام على تطبيق أحكام هذا النظام، والتأكد من التزام المنشآت العلاجية النفسية في جميع القطاعات بما ورد فيه من أحكام، ومراقبتها، سواء من قبله أو عن طريق لجان تشكل للوقوف على جميع المنشآت العلاجية النفسية، وعلى المرضى النفسيين المنومين في جميع أقسامها، وفحص السجلات والتقارير والتأكد من مطابقتها للواقع، واتخاذ الإجراءات اللازمة لتصحيح أي مخالفة.
3 - إنشاء مجالس للمراقبة المحلية للرعاية الصحية النفسية في المناطق والمحافظات عند الحاجة.
4 - الإشراف على مجالس المراقبة المحلية للرعاية الصحية النفسية ومتابعة أعمالها.
5 - النظر في شؤون المرضى النفسيين وفي التقارير التي تحيلها إليه مجالس المراقبة المحلية للرعاية الصحية النفسية.
6 - النظر في التظلمات التي يقدمها المرضى، أو ذووهم، أو من يمثلهم، بعد استكمال التظلم أمام مجلس المراقبة المحلي للرعاية الصحية النفسية.
7 - تكوين لجان من أعضاء المجلس، أو من غيرهم من ذوي الخبرة أو الاختصاص؛ لمراجعة قرارات الدخول الإلزامي.
8 - أي اختصاص آخر يقره مجلس الوزراء.
This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers
Article 4 explained in plain English
This Article sets out the powers of the General Supervisory Council for Mental Health Care formed under Article 3, which are eight:
- Proposing development: proposing the development and improvement of mental health care and submitting it to the Health Services Council.
- Supervision and oversight: general supervision of the application of the Law and making sure mental treatment facilities in all sectors comply, either itself or through committees that inspect the facilities and the patients admitted in all their departments, examine records and reports and check that they match reality, and taking the necessary measures to correct any violation.
- Creating local councils in the regions and governorates when needed.
- Supervising the local councils and following up their work.
- Considering the affairs of mental patients and the reports the local councils refer to it.
- Hearing grievances submitted by patients, their relatives or their representatives, after the grievance has been completed before the local council.
- Forming committees from its members or from those with experience to review compulsory admission decisions.
- Any other power approved by the Council of Ministers.
What matters most to the patient and his family in practice is the sixth power: a grievance begins before the local council and reaches the General Council only after that route has been completed. The General Council's meeting schedule, quorum and how it decides grievances are regulated by Article 5.
If you have a specific case, it is best to consult a lawyer who specializes in health regulations and patients' rights.
Practical example
A young man in Riyadh was compulsorily admitted to a mental treatment facility, and his father filed a grievance before the local supervisory council and was not satisfied with the result. After completing the grievance before the local council, the father can bring his grievance to the General Supervisory Council for consideration.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
How we write and review contentAdministrative Law lawyers: ask a specialist about your case
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Administrative Law (Board of Grievances) lawyers
Lawyers who handle this kind of case
Dr. Ali Al-Rubaie Law Office and Ittihad Al-Asr Legal Company
Al-Safwa Law Office and Legal Consultancy
Frequently asked questions about Article 4 of the Saudi Mental Health Law
Can I file a grievance directly with the General Supervisory Council?
The General Council hears grievances of patients, their relatives or their representatives after the grievance has been completed before the local supervisory council.
Does the General Supervisory Council monitor private hospitals?
Yes. It makes sure mental treatment facilities in all sectors comply and monitors them.
Who reviews compulsory admission decisions?
One of the General Council's powers is forming committees from its members or from those with experience to review compulsory admission decisions.
More articles on Mental Health Care Monitoring Boards
- Article 3
The Article regulates forming the General Supervisory Council for Mental Health Care by decision of the Minister of Health, its members, the four-year term, its secretariat and the nomination of members.
أ - يصدر وزير الصحة قراراً بتشكيل مجلس باسم "مجلس المراقبة العام للرعاية الصحية النفسية"؛ على النحو الآتي : 1 -مستشار شرعي من وزارة العدلرئيساً 2 -مستشار من وزا
- Article 5
The Article regulates the General Supervisory Council's meetings at least every two months, its quorum, majority decisions, barring members from decisions affecting relatives, and deciding grievances.
أ - يعقد المجلس اجتماعاته مرة - على الأقل - كل شهرين، أو بناء على طلب رئيس المجلس عند الحاجة. ب - يكون انعقاد المجلس نظاميًّا بحضور الرئيس أو نائبه، وثلثي الأعض
- Article 6
The Article regulates forming the local supervisory council for mental health care by decision of the Minister of Health, its members, the four-year term, its secretariat and the nomination of members.
أ - يصدر وزيرالصحة قرارتشكيل مجلس المراقبة المحلي للرعاية الصحية النفسية على النحو الآتي: 1 -مستشار شرعي من وزارة العدلرئيساً 2 -مستشار من وزارة الداخليةعضواً و
- Article 7
The Article sets the local council's powers, including supervising facilities, hearing grievances, canceling compulsory admission decisions and approving non-conventional treatment.
يختص مجلس المراقبة المحلي للرعاية الصحية النفسية بالآتي : 1 - الإشراف على تطبيق أحكام هذا النظام، والتأكد من التزام المنشآت العلاجية النفسية في جميع القطاعات ال
- Article 8
The Article regulates the local council's meetings every 15 days, its quorum and decisions, and requires it to answer grievances within 21 working days, failing which they may go to the General Council.
أ - تكون اجتماعات المجلس مرة كل (خمسة عشر) يوماً، أو بدعوة من رئيسه عند الحاجة. ب - يكون انعقاد المجلس نظاميًّا بحضور الرئيس أو نائبه وثلثي الأعضاء على الأقل. ج
The texts are reproduced from the official website of the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers for reference; where they differ, the officially published Arabic text prevails. This content is not legal advice.