XN000022-1988-06-22 — Page 17

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 22, 1988

15

CONCERN IN MEDICAL SECTOR

CONCERN IN

THE

POLICE

DR THE

THE MENTAL HEALTH (AMENDMENT) BILL 1987 HAS RAISED THE MEDICAL SECTOR ABOUT THE DEFINITION OF MENTAL DISORDER, MERITS OF HAVING A SEPARATE BILL FOR THE MENTALLY HANDICAPPED, POWERS, AND MANPOWER SHORTAGE IN THE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICE, HON CHIU HIN-KWONG SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

MENTAL

SUPPORTING THE BILL, DR CHIU SAID THE DEFINITION OF DISORDER, TAKEN WITH THE AGREED COMMITTEE STAGE AMENDMENTS, ACCEPTABLE SINCE THE BILL WOULD NOW APPLY ONLY ΤΟ THE MENTALLY AND THOSE MENTALLY HANDICAPPED PEOPLE OF ABNORMALLY AGGRESSIVE SERIOUSLY IRRESPONSIBLE CONDUCT.

WAS

ILL

OR

REGARDING A SEPARATE BILL FOR THE MENTALLY HANDICAPPED, DR CHIU NOTED THAT WHAT CONCERNED THE MEDICAL PROFESSION MOST WHETHER THERE WOULD BE ANY BETTER SERVICES THAN THERE WERE NOW,

HE SAID THAT AT PRESENT, ABOUT 30 TO 45 PER CENT OF THE HOSPITAL PLACES WERE TAKEN UP BY THE MENTALLY HANDICAPPED WHO DID SUFFER FROM ANY FORMAL PSYCHIATRIC DISORDER.

MOREOVER, THE NUMBER OF MENTALLY HANDICAPPED PATIENTS INTO VARIOUS PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITALS OR UNITS FOR MEDICAL OWING TO BEHAVIOURAL PROBLEMS STOOD AT 300 EACH YEAR.

DR CHIU STRESSED THAT, CONTRARY TO WHAT SOME PEOPLE PSYCHIATRISTS HAD NO INTENTION TO KEEP THESE PEOPLE THERE, WERE OTHER FACILITIES AVAILABLE.

WAS

DAY

NOT

ADMITTED TREATMENT

IF

BELIEVED,

THERE

IN

HE NOTED THAT A MAJORITY OF MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS WORKING THE FIELD WERE IN FAVOUR OF GRANTING THE POLICE POWER TO MENTALLY DISORDERED PERSON TO A PLACE OF SAFETY ON

TAKE A THE GROUNDS THAT THIS WAS A SAFEGUARD FOR SUCH PATIENTS.

"IT IS QUITE UNLIKELY THAT THE POLICE WILL ABUSE THEIR AS IT IS CONFINED TO ESCORTING THE PERSON SUSPECTED OF SUFFERING MENTAL DISORDER TO THE ACCIDENT AND EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT TO

POWER,

FROM

RECEIVE

CARE FROM THE MEDICAL OFFICER,

HE SAID.

ON THE MANPOWER SHORTAGE IN MENTAL HEALTH SERVICE, DR CRIU SAID THAT THE DOCTOR-TO-BED RATIO RECOMMENDED BY THE MEDICAL DEVELOMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE (MDAC) WAS 1:20 FOR ACUTE BEDS AND FOR CHRONIC BEDS, BUT THE ACTUAL RATIO WAS 1:100 IN GENERAL.

1:80

THE REASON