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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 22, 1988
HE SUGGESTED THAT THE RELEVANT OMELCO STANDING PANELS SHOULD CONTINUE TO MONITOR AND REVIEW THE EXISTING MENTAL HEALTH SERVICE DELIVERY SYSTEM AND TO OVERSEE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS BILL.
MR HUI ADDED THAT THE BILL CAME AT AN INOPPORTUNE TIME WHEN SOCIAL WELFARE WAS HARD HIT BY MANPOWER SHORTAGE BROUGHT ABOUT BY THE LACK OF LONG-TERM MANPOWER PLANNING AND THE CURRENT BRAIN DRAIN.
UNDER THE PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCES, IT WAS DIFFICULT то FORESER HOW THE TARGET SET BY THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT TO RECRUIT THE 50 SOCIAL WORKERS REQUIRED FOR IMPLEMENTING THE BILL COULD BE REACHED.
HE THEREFORE URGED THE ADMINISTRATION то MAKE A FIRM COMMITMENT TO PROVIDING THE MUCH-NEEDED PSYCHIATRIC SERVICES AND TO CONSIDER TAPPING THE RESOURCES OF PRIVATE PSYCHIATRIC PRACTITIONERS.
IN ADDITION, THE GOVERNMENT MUST PROVIDE THE NECESSARY TRAINING IN MENTAL HEALTH FOR SOCIAL WORKERS CONCERNED TO ACQUIRE ADEQUATE KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE FOR THE EFFECTIVE DELIVERY OF SERVICES," HE ADDED.
IMPORTANT POINT IN MENTAL HEALTH BILL NOT YET RESOLVED
THE MENTAL HEALTH (AMENDMENT) BILL 1987 HAS LEFT UNRESOLVED AN IMPORTANT POINT OF PRINCIPLE CONCERNING THE RIGHT OF A PERSON BELIEVED TO BE SUFFERING FROM MENTAL DISORDER TO BE HEARD BY A JUDGE OR MAGISTRATE BEFORE SUCH A PERSON WAS DETAINED IN A MENTAL THE HON MARTIN LEE SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
HOSPITAL,
SPEAKING IN THE RESUMED DEBATE ON THE BILL IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MR LEE SAID THAT THIS POINT HAD CAUSED GREAT CONCERN TO MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, AD HOC. GROUP SET UP TO EXAMINE THE BILL AS WELL AS TO OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
HE NOTED THAT ACCORDING ΤΟ THE RECORD OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IN-HOUSE MEETING HELD ON JUNE 3; "SOME MEMBERS FELT THAT IN ORDER TO SAFEGUARD HUMAN RIGHTS, IT WAS ESSENTIAL FOR A PERSON ΤΟ BE HEARD BY A MAGISTRATE AND OR JUDGE BEFORE HE WAS DEPRIVED OF HIS LIBERTY",
THE IN-HOUSE
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