Hong Kong Regulations

MENTAL HEALTH REGULATIONS - REGULATION 5C

Power to delete any part of a letter

(1) Subject to subregulation (2), a medical superintendent may, in the case of
a letter, delete any part of it if he reasonably considers that such part if
not deleted would be likely-

   (a)  where the letter is addressed to a patient, to cause unnecessary
        distress to or adversely affect the treatment of the patient;

   (b)  where the letter is intended to be sent by a patient, to cause
        unnecessary distress to the person to whom it is addressed or to any
        other person, not being a person on the staff of the mental hospital;
        or

   (c)  to cause danger to any person.

(2) Subregulation (1) does not apply to-

   (a)  any letter intended to be sent by a patient to any of the persons or
        bodies specified in regulation 5(2);

   (b)  any letter addressed to a patient by any of the persons or bodies
        specified in regulation 5(2) except with the prior consent of the
        person or body. (L.N. 298 of 1996)