Killings spark fear of mentally ill loophole

Authorities should extend cooperation between public and private hospitals in caring for psychiatric patients as public hospitals could have overlooked the seriousness of some cases due to the large number of patients going through the latter institutions, a University of Hong Kong professor said.

Eric Chen Yu-hai, chair professor in psychiatry, said yesterday a consultation session in public hospitals only lasts minutes amid an acute manpower shortage.

"Patients may not be able to tell psychiatrists about their symptoms such as delusions and hallucinations. And there just isn't enough time for [psychiatrists] to ask patients in-depth questions in consultations that lasts just minutes," he said.

"Patients who are feeling suicidal, may feel it inappropriate to tell psychiatrists seeing the rush they are in."

According to the Hospital Authority, the doctor-patient ratio in its psychiatric clinics is one to 761.

In the past, Chen said, there were psychiatric nurses and social workers who followed up on patients, which might have been helpful in taking care of some patients.

Authorities, he added, should consider increasing psychiatrist quotas in the long term to avoid overlooking serious cases.

He also suggested some cases be referred to private hospitals when they involve patients with milder symptoms.

Chen's call came as the deputy medical superintendent of Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital, Joseph Chan Woon-tong, said about 45 percent of psychiatrists are practicing in the public sector.

Seventy percent of patients would visit a private clinic, he said, for general outpatient services and patients should keep in touch with family doctors and disclose to them the family's full medical history.

His colleague, Chow Shew-ping suggested private hospitals could help follow and monitor cases closely, while public hospitals are responsible for admitting new patients.

The doctors' comments came soon after two horrifying murder cases .

The first saw 39-year-old Szeto Sing-kwong, who has a history of mental illness, allegedly killing two women at Plaza Hollywood in Diamond Hill on June 2.

Another case occurred last Monday, when Ur Rehman Aamina, 29, allegedly suffocated her three young daughters with a pillow in their Sham Shui Po home.

The Advisory Committee on Mental Health on Friday proposed 10 improvement measures in response to the stabbing case.

Suggestions included increasing the number of psychiatric professionals in public hospitals and reducing the waiting time for new cases, while doctors were urged to prescribe new medications with fewer side effects.