WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 1985
18
BOARD OF INQUIRY SET UP ON IRANIAN'S CASE
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THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAS SET UP A BOARD OF INQUIRY TO EXAMINE THE CORONER'S RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE CASE OF THE IRANIAN WHO DIED IN THE QUEEN MARY HOSPITAL CUSTODIAL WARD LAST JULY, THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, DR THE HON K.L. THONG, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
+WHEN THE INQUIRY IS COMPLETED, A FORMAL RESPONSE WILL BE MADE TO THE CORONER TO INFORM HIM OF ANY ACTION TAKEN TO IMPLEMENT HIS RECOMMENDATIONS, + DR THONG SAID IN REPLY TO QUESTIONS FROM THE HON LYDIA DUNN IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
DR THONG SAID THAT ONE OF THE AIMS OF THE BOARD OF INQUIRY WAS TO EXAMINE THE CORONER'S RECOMMENDATIONS TO SEE WHETHER THEY WERE PRACTICABLE AND IF SO, WHAT SPECIFIC ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN IN ORDER TO IMPLEMENT THEM.
THE BOARD WOULD ALSO STUDY WHETHER THE RECOMMENDATIONS WERE IN REFERENCE TO EXISTING PRACTICES AND PROCEDURES AND WHETHER THEY COULD SERVE AS A BASIS FOR IMPROVEMENT.
DR THONG TOLD THE COUNCIL THAT HE WAS STILL WAITING FOR THE TRANSCRIPT OF THE COMPLETE PROCEEDINGS WHICH HE HAD EARLIER REQUESTED FROM THE CORONER.
ON THE QUESTION OF NORMAL PROCEDURES FOR THE PROVISION OF MEDICAL ASSISTANCE FOR THOSE IN NEED, DR THONG SAID THAT PATIENTS IN THE CUSTODIAL WARD, LIKE ANY OTHER PATIENTS, WERE PLACED UNDER THE CARE OF AN APPROPRIATE SPECIALTY UNIT.
+ANY MEDICAL ASSISTANCE THAT IS NEEDED, INCLUDING EMERGENCY TREATMENT, IS PROVIDED BY THE MEDICAL STAFF OF THAT PARTICULAR UNIT UNDER WHOSE CARE THE PATIENT HAS BEEN PLACED, + HE SAID.
ON THE USE OF RESTRAINERS FOR MEDICAL PURPOSES, THE DIRECTOR SAID THAT THEY WERE USED FROM TIME TO TIME AS A NORMAL PART OF THE TREATMENT PROCEDURE.
HE EXPLAINED THAT THE PRINCIPLE AND PRACTICE OF THE USE OF RESTRAINERS WERE INHERENT IN THE TRAINING AND QUALIFICATION OF NURSING PERSONNEL.
THUS, HE SAID, RESTRAINERS WERE USED AT THE DISCRETION OF THE NURSING STAFF IN THE INTEREST OF THE PATIENTS THEMSELVES, TO PREVENT THEM FROM INJURING THEMSELVES OR INTERFERRING WITH CERTAIN MODES OF TREATMENT.
/AS KAPLON
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