North District Hospital responds to media enquiries on a patient case

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     In response to media enquiries on a patient case, the spokesman for the North District Hospital (NDH) replied as follows:

     A 62-year-old male patient escorted by police attended the Accident and Emergency Department (A&E) on June 25. The patient was sent to the Disturbed Patient Room for treatment and observation due to his unstable emotion and irritated behaviour, which had affected other A&E patients. The patient was guarded by police during the hospitalisation. Regular surveillance was conducted and no abnormal situation was noted by clinical staff. The patient was then sent to the observation ward around 9am and was discharged around 5pm on the next day (June 26).

     The NDH received an enquiry from a councilor on June 27 regarding a patient that had been treated inappropriately by police at the Disturbed Patient Room. On July 4, the NDH received an application from the councillor, who applied for a copy of CCTV footage on behalf of the patient concerned during hospitalisation at the Disturbed Patient Room. The hospital processed the application and released the footage on August 12 in accordance with the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance and the Hospital Authority's relevant code of practice. The NDH had liaised with the patient through councillor's office, who expressed that reporting to the police is not required.

     The patient had not made any complaints to clinical staff and the hospital during hospitalisation. The hospital will fully co-operate with police in the investigation.