Hong Kong authorities looking into review of conditional discharge orders for patients, with focus on voluntary admission loophole

Only mandatory treatment mechanism currently is conditional discharge, which applies to those involuntarily admitted and identified with violent tendencies

Mental health services under scrutiny after a horrific knife attack in a shopping centre left two women dead earlier this month

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A knife attack in a Hong Kong shopping centre that left young women dead shocked the city. Photo: Dickson Lee

Published: 11:38pm, 19 Jun 2023Updated: 12:04am, 20 Jun 2023

Hong Kong health authorities are looking into reviewing the eligibility of conditional discharge orders for psychiatric patients, with a focus on addressing a loophole concerning voluntary hospital admission.

“We are very worried about patients who have violent tendencies and mental health needs but were voluntarily admitted – they do not fit the criteria for conditional discharge,” Undersecretary for Health Libby Lee Ha-yun told a Legislative Council panel meeting on Monday.

“If the community cannot support them, and their family does not have the capacity to take care of them, they are indeed not fit for discharge, and we will address that.”

Mental health services are under scrutiny after a horrific knife attack in a shopping centre on June 2 left two women dead with the alleged assailant said by sources to have schizophrenia.

Health undersecretary Libby Lee says authorities will address issues on discharging patients. Photo: Edmond So

A week after the incident officials unveiled 10 measures to improve mental health services, including enhancing staffing levels for case managers, shortening waiting times for public psychiatric clinics, and introducing a mental health screening pilot scheme at district health centres, among others.

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