Both Section 135 and Section 136 make arrangements for people to be taken to a "Place of Safety".
The Act (in Section 135) defines a Place of Safety, in general
terms as:
There is widespread agreement that a police station - which in practice may mean a cell or a rather stark interview room - is not an ideal place to conduct a mental health assessment. Both the Home Office and the Mental Health Act Commission have indicated that the best Place of Safety is usually a hospital. Some people have felt that a hospital is inappropriate as the process may label someone as mentally ill, when in fact they are found, on assessment, not to have a mental health problem. However, a hospital can have facilities (e.g. a special room set aside for the purpose) to act as the Place of Safety without the person necessarily entering a ward or being admitted as a patient.
If the Place of Safety is a hospital, the police may leave once the person has been "delivered" there. Sometimes local agreements will exist to ensure the police stay for a limited period and to ensure that, for example, the person is searched by the police for weapons if this appears appropriate. Again, local agreements may provide for the police to be notified if the person concerned is assessed as not having a mental disorder and/or not needing admission. The police may nevertheless have grounds for questioning the person about the behaviour which led to a Section 136, or about other matters.