N
+TWO IMPORTANT SELECT COMMITTEES HAVE SAT DURING THE YEAR WITH
THIS IN ITSELF WAS AN THEIR MEETINGS LARGELY HELD IN PUBLIC.
IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENT TOWARDS A MORE OPEN GOVERNMENT.+
THIS WAS ALSO THE FIRST FULL YEAR IN WHICH MEETINGS OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE AS WELL AS THE PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE HAD BEEN HELD IN PUBLIC, PROVIDING AN OPPORTUNITY TO TAXPAYERS TO SEE HOW THEIR MONEY WAS BEING SPENT AND ACCOUNTED FOR, HE SAID.
SIR DAVID CONCLUDED BY THANKING MEMBERS FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTION TO THE WORK OF THE COUNCIL IN THIS SESSION.
MENTAL HEALTH ORDINANCE AMENDMENT FOR NEW SESSION
*****
AN AMENDMENT BILL TO THE MENTAL HEALTH ORDINANCE HAS ALREADY BEEN DRAFTED AND IS EXPECTED TO BE INTRODUCED IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL EARLY IN THE NEXT SESSION, THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, THE HON NIGEL SHIPMAN, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
HE WAS MAKING A STATEMENT ON THE KWOK AH-NUI CASE FOLLOWING THE UMELCO PANEL'S EXAMINATION OF THE REPORTS BY THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE AND THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES.
+THE UMELCO PANEL HAVE RECOMMENDED THAT THE MENTAL HEALTH ORDINANCE SHOULD BE REVIEWED.
+A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF THIS ORDINANCE, INCLUDING THE APPEAL AND RELEASE PROCEDURES, HAS BEEN UNDERWAY FOR SOME TIME NOW, AND CONSULTATIONS WITH RELEVANT ORGANISATIONS ON A SET OF DETAILED PROPOSALS ARE NOW IN PROGRESS, HE SAID.
HOWEVER, MR SHIPMAN POINTED OUT THAT THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES HAD REVIEWED THE CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUDING THE ADMISSION OF MADAM WONG YUEN-SIU TO HOSPITAL AND WAS SATISFIED THAT ACTION WAS PROPERLY TAKEN IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE MENTAL HEALTH ORDINANCE.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S CHAMBERS HAD ALSO ADVISED THAT THE CORRECT PROCEDURES HAD BEEN FOLLOWED AND THAT MADAM WONG'S ADMISSION TO AND TREATMENT IN KWAI CHUNG HOSPITAL ARE STRICTLY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAW, HE ADDED.
MR SHIPMAN SAID THAT MADAM WONG WAS MADE AWARE OF HER RIGHTS AND OF THE AVENUES OF APPEAL IN RESPECT OF HER ADMISSION TO KWAI CHUNG HOSPITAL AND OVER THE TAKING OF HER CHILD INTO CARE.
/IN CONNECTION