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LCQ15: CSD ensures appropriate medical services are provided to prisoners
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    Following is a written reply by the Secretary for Security, Mr Ambrose S K Lee, to a question raised by the Hon Leung Yiu-chung in the Legislative Council today (July 2):

Question:

    It is learnt that prisoners who request Chinese medical treatments will be allowed to receive such treatments only if they can provide the Correctional Services Department with a report by toxicologists proving that the Chinese medicine proposed to be taken will not have adverse interactions with the treatments being administered to them by the medical officers at the penal institution.  In this connection, will the Government inform this Council whether:

(a)  any prisoner had been allowed to receive Chinese medical treatments in the past three years; if so, of the number of such prisoners; if not, the reasons for that; and

(b)  it will provide assistance to prisoners to facilitate them in receiving Chinese medical treatments; if it will not, of the reasons for that?

Reply:

Madam President,

    The Correctional Services Department (CSD) respects prisoners' right to medical treatment, and ensures that sufficient and appropriate medical services are provided to all prisoners in accordance with the Prison Rules (Cap. 234A).

    The Prison Rules stipulate that Medical Officers are in charge of medical matters in penal institutions.  Medical Officers currently posted to the penal institutions and specialists who visit the institutions on a regular basis are all registered western medical practitioners appointed by the Department of Health or the Hospital Authority (HA).  At present, the medical services CSD provide to prisoners are no different from those subsidised services provided to the public by the Government and HA's healthcare staff.

    My reply to the questions raised are set out below:

(a)  CSD has a statutory obligation to protect the health and safety of prisoners.  Besides, the Medical Officers in the penal institutions have the responsibility to understand the treatment requested by prisoners.  If any prisoner requests to receive medical treatments beyond the existing services, CSD will consider it on a case-by-case basis in consultation with the Medical Officers.  Depending on the circumstances of the case, the prisoner may need to provide relevant proof to facilitate the institution's Medical Officers in judging whether the requested treatment will have adverse interactions with the treatment being administered.

    During the past three years, CSD has received written applications from one prisoner for Chinese medical treatment.  However, as he could not provide the necessary proof, his request has not been approved.

(b)  Under the current arrangement, CSD provides prisoners with appropriate medical services in compliance with relevant international standards for correctional services.  If any prisoner requests medical treatments beyond the existing services, CSD will, base on the Medical Officers' professional advice, consider such requests on a case-by-case basis.

Ends/Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Issued at HKT 15:16

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