WEDNESDAY, JUNE 22, 1988
8
PROVISIONS
"IT IS PLEASING TO NOTE THAT THE ADMINISTRATION HAS OVERCOME THE HESITATION TO IMPLEMENT THE GUARDIANSHIP
BEFORE 1989 AS SOON BECAUSE OF MANPOWER CONSTRAINTS, AND WILL NOW IMPLEMENT THEM AS THE GUARDIANSHIP REGULATIONS ARE MADE," SHE NOTED.
TURNING TO THE MENTAL HEALTH TRIBUNAL, MRS TAM SAID THAT IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT THE TRIBUNAL COULD SERVE AS AN EFFECTIVE CHANNEL CASE, FOR PATIENTS DETAINED IN MENTAL HOSPITALS FOR A REVIEW OF THEIR THE GROUP PAID PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO THE STRENGTH OF ITS MEMBERSHIP.
IN
GROUP SHE SAID THAT THE AD HOC
HAD REPEATEDLY STRESSED THE NEED FOR A MEMBER OF THE TRIBUNAL TO HAVE KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE SOCIAL WORK TO DISCUSS THE SOCIAL ASPECTS OF ГНЕ CASES, INCLUDING A MEDICAL MEMBER SOCIAL ASSESSMENT REPORTS, AS WELL AS THE NEED FOR ON THE TRIBUNAL TO BE A DOCTOR WITH RELEVANT PSYCHIATRIC QUALIFICATIONS.
THESE POINTS HAD BEEN ACCEPTED BY THE GOVERNMENT, AND MRS TAM SUBSEQUENTLY MOVED A COMMITTEE STAGE AMENDMENT TO THIS EFFECT.
SHE NOTED THAT A FURTHER CONTROVERSIAL ISSUE INVOLVED IN THE THAT THE BILL WAS THE ROLE OF POLICE OFFICERS. THERE WERE CRITICISMS POLICE WERE GIVEN TOO MUCH POWER.
IN THE BILL IF A POLICE OFFICER FOUND IN ANY PLACE A PERSON TAKE HIM WHO APPEARED TO BE SUFFERING FROM MENTAL DISORDER, HE COULD TO A HOSPITAL.
WELFARE
WAS
SHE SAID THE AD HOC GROUP'S MAJOR CONCERN WAS THAT THE
IT OF THE PATIENT SHOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF AND IT CONSIDERED THAT
ΤΟ IN THE INTEREST OF THE PATIENT TO BE TAKEN TO A HOSPITAL WHERE HE COULD RECEIVE TREATMENT RATHER THAN A POLICE STATION, AS WAS REQUIRED UNDER THE EXISTING LAW.
THUS THE SPECIFIC PROVISION FOR REMOVAL ΤΟ A HOSPITAL WAS
NECESSARY.
SHE SAID THE AD HOC GROUP ALSO ACCEPTED THE VIEW THAT ALTHOUGH "ANY PLACE" INCLUDED PRIVATE PREMISES, A POLICE OFFICER COULD ONLY
OR ENTER PRIVATE PREMISES IN PURSUANCE OF SOME STATUTORY
COMMON LAW
POWER.
THE BILL DID NOT CONFER UPON THE POLICE ANY ADDITIONAL POWER TO ENTER PRIVATE PREMISES.
HOWEVER, TO ENSURE FURTHER PROTECTION OF THE INDIVIDUAL, THE GROUP HAD PERSUADED THE ADMINISTRATION TO AGREE TO CERTAIN SAFEGUARDS.
THE GROUP FELT THAT A STRICTER DISCIPLINE SHOULD BE IMPOSED UPON THE POLICE OFFICER IN HIS ASSESSMENT BEFORE TAKING ACTION.
/TRUS "A
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