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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 22, 1988
"THE POWERS UNDER THIS SECTION ARE STRICTLY LIMITED TO THE TRANSFER OF A PATIENT TO AN ACCIDENT AND EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT WHERE WILL RECEIVE PROPER MEDICAL TREATMENT AND BE SUBJECT TO A PROFESSIONAL ASSESSMENT OF HIS MENTAL CONDITION.
HE
"THE PATIENT CAN BE DETAINED FOR THIS PURPOSE FOR NOT MORE THAN 24 HOURS, UNLESS FURTHER ACTION IS TAKEN UNDER OTHER PROVISIONS IN THE ORDINANCE.'
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ON WHETHER SUSPECTED MENTAL PATIENTS SHOULD BE TAKEN ΤΟ THE ACCIDENT AND EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS OF HOSPITALS WHERE THERE WAS A FULL PSYCHIATRIC BACK-UP SERVICE, MR CHAMBERS SAID WHILE THIS WAS A DESIRABLE AIM THE CURRENT AVAILABILITY OF PSYCHIATRIC DOCTORS MADE IT UNATTAINABLE AT PRESENT.
"THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES HAS INDICATED THAT IT MAY BE ACHIEVABLE IN ABOUT FOUR YEARS' TIME.
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IN THE INTERIM PERIOD, AND WITHIN THE LIMITS OF AVAILABLE MANPOWER RESOURCES, THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT WILL DO ITS BEST TO ENSURE THAT ALL SUCH PATIENTS ARE SEEN BY A DOCTORS WHO HAVE WORKED FOR THREE YEARS OR MORE IN AN ACCIDENT AND EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT, HE SAID.
THE
THE BILL ALSO INTRODUCED A NEW CONCEPT IN HONG KONG CONCEPT OF GUARDIANSHIP FOR MENTALLY HANDICAPPED PERSONS WHO WERE OVER 18 YEARS OF AGE AND WERE THEREFORE OUTSIDE THE JURISDICTION OF THE PROTECTION OF WOMEN AND JUVENILES ORDINANCE.
MR CHAMBERS NOTED A SUGGESTION THAT THE COURT AND NOT THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE SHOULD MAKE THE FINAL DECISION CONCERNING THE NEED FOR GUARD LANSHIP.
HOWEVER, HE SAID THE DIRECTOR WAS BEST PLACED ΤΟ DECIDE UPON SUCH MATTERS.
ADEQUATE SAFEGUARDS EXISTED THROUGH THE DISTRICT COURT AND THE MENTAL HEALTH REVIEW TRIBUNAL FOR APPEALS AGAINST THE CONTINUATION OF GUARDIANSHIP IN CASES WHERE THE EXISTING ARRANGEMENTS WERE FOR SOME REASON UNSATISFACTORY, HE ADDED.
NOTING THAT THE DIRECTOR WOULD ACT WHEN NECESSRY AS GUARDIAN OF LAST RESORT, MR CHAMBERS STRESSED THE ESSENCE OF THE SYSTEM WAS ONF OF CARE AND PROTECTION FOR THE PERSON PLACED UNDER GUARDIANSHIP.
IN NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES THIS WOULD BEST BE PROVIDED BY A RELATIVE OR A CARING PERSON KNOWN TO THE PATIENT.
/WHEN THE