Hong Kong Ordinances

MENTAL HEALTH ORDINANCE - SECT 55

Removal of prisoners for observation

(1) If the Commissioner of Correctional Services or, in the case of a person
who is detained in a remand home or a reformatory school, the
Director of Social Welfare, has reason to believe that a person who is serving
a sentence of imprisonment as defined by section 52(5) or a person to whom
section 53 applies is a mentally disordered person and that it is necessary or
desirable that such person should be forthwith transferred to a
mental hospital for observation or treatment, he may, by writing under his
hand, order that such person be taken to a mental hospital for the purpose of
detention, observation and treatment during the period of 14 days from and
including the date of the order. (Amended 40 of 1962 s. 5)

(2) The provisions of sections 51, 52 and 53 may be applied to a person who is
detained in a mental hospital in consequence of an order made under subsection
(1) as if no such order had been made.

(3) A person who is detained in a mental hospital in consequence of an order
made under subsection (1) shall be deemed to be in legal custody.