26.—(1) The consultant psychiatrist responsible for the care and treatment of a patient may grant permission in writing to the patient to be absent from the approved centre concerned for such period as he or she may specify in the permission being a period less than the unexpired period provided for in the relevant admission order, the relevant renewal order or the relevant order under section 25, as the case may be, and the permission may be made subject to such conditions as he or she considers appropriate and so specifies.

(2) Where a patient is absent from an approved centre pursuant to subsection (1), the consultant psychiatrist may, if he or she is of opinion that it is in the interests of the patient to do so, withdraw the permission granted under subsection (1) and direct the patient in writing to return to the approved centre.

(3) In this section “patient” includes a child in respect of whom an order under section 25 is in force.