MEDICAL OFFICERS OF THE HOSPITAL 
FOR MENTAL DISEASES [ S.L.94.11 1
SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 94.11
MEDICAL OFFICERS OF THE HOSPITAL FOR 
MENTAL DISEASES REGULATIONS
9th July, 1965
LEGAL NOTICE 36 of 1965.
Title.
Hospital for Mental Diseases Regulations.
PART I
I. RESIDENT PHYSICIAN SUPERINTENDENT
Powers and 
functions of 
resident physician 
Superintendent.
2. The Resident Physician Superintendent (hereinafter
referred to as "the Superintendent") shall be entrusted with the
general administration and control of the hospital, and shall have in
addition the direction of the care and treatment of a number of
patients. The Superintendent shall see that all members of the staff
of the hospital perform their duties strictly in accordance with these
Regulations and shall bring without delay all instances of neglect
or disobedience of orders to the notice of the Chief Government
Medical Officer. The Superintendent shall be responsible for the
correctness of supplies of all kinds, the regular working of all
branches of the service, the cleanliness and good order of the
premises, the maintenance of discipline and the due observance on
the part of all officers and employees of the regulations and of all
instructions given by the authorities, and shall report any deviation
therefrom to the Chief Government Medical Officer.
Channel of 
communication. 
3. The Superintendent shall correspond with the Chief
Government Medical Officer (or his representative) on all matters
of management, discipline, supplies and alterations and repairs in
the hospital. He is the channel of communication between the
hospital and the Chief Government Medical Officer, and all
correspondence, requisitions and matters connected thereto shall be
transmitted by him.
Residence. 
for him in the hospital.
Advice to 
Government. 
5. The Superintendent shall give advice in his speciality to
the Government, to the Chief Government Medical Officer or to
any other Government Medical Officer, with regard to any matter
which these officers have to deal with in their official capacity.
Examination of 
patients.
6. The Superintendent shall examine every newly admitted
patient under his care and shall see that his instructions as to
classification, diet, nursing and treatment of all such patients are
properly carried out and entered by the medical officers concerned
in the relative registers or case sheets.
Responsibility for 
entries.
7.   The Superintendent shall be responsible for every entry in
the professional registers of the hospital and shall take care that all
admissions, discharges and deaths be duly recorded, and that the
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MEDICAL OFFICERS OF THE HOSPITAL 
FOR MENTAL DISEASES
prescription books, medical visits book, case sheets, diet books and
all other records are regularly kept.
Violent or sudden 
death or absence 
without leave of 
patient.
8. When any violent or sudden death or absence without leave
of any patient under his care occurs the Superintendent shall see
that the medical officer on duty has acted in accordance with
regulation 40, and shall submit a detailed report of the case and of
any investigations to the Chief Government Medical Officer.
Lists of patients 
who are suicidal or 
who need 
particular 
attention.
9. The Superintendent shall cause lists to be prepared of all
patients under his care who are suicidal or subject to any disease or
habit requiring particular attention; such lists are to be delivered to
the nurses in each ward for their guidance and are to be corrected
from time to time with every change.
Surprise visits.  10. The Superintendent shall pay surprise visits to the wards
whenever he deems it proper both during the day and during the
night. The night visits shall be entered in the officers’ night
inspection book.
Inspection of 
supplies.
11. The Superintendent shall inspect or cause to be inspected
by a medical officer and by the store officers all the provisions
supplied to the hospital, and shall ascertain that the food is properly
cooked and distributed, and that the patients receive the diet that
has been prescribed for them. Whenever the Superintendent is
unable to attend personally the inspection of provisions, he shall
delegate another medical officer to act in his stead.
Statistical returns 
and financial 
report.
12. The Superintendent shall submit to the Chief Government
Medical Officer statistical returns and financial reports, and such
other reports regarding the patients and the administration of the
hospital as may from time to time be required by that officer. As
soon as possible after the end of each calendar year he shall
transmit to the Chief Government Medical Officer a report on the
professional and administrative work carried out in the hospital
during the year.
Prison and court 
cases.
13. All prison cases and cases of persons found insane and sent
to hospital by order of the criminal courts shall be under the direct
care and treatment of the Superintendent.
II. RESIDENT DEPUTY PHYSICIAN SUPERINTENDENT
Powers and 
functions of 
deputy. 
14. The resident deputy physician Superintendent shall
exercise such duties, powers and functions as may be delegated and
assigned to him by the Superintendent.
Absence of the 
Superintendent.
15. When the Superintendent is absent his deputy shall act in
his stead and shall have the powers and functions assigned to the
Superintendent.
Residence.  16. The resident deputy physician Superintendent shall reside
in the quarters provided for him in the hospital.
Provisions relative 
to psychiatrists 
applicable to the 
resident deputy 
Superintendent.
17. The provisions of these Regulations relative to
psychiatrists in so far as applicable shall apply to the resident
deputy physician Superintendent. 
MEDICAL OFFICERS OF THE HOSPITAL 
FOR MENTAL DISEASES [ S.L.94.11 3
III. THE PSYCHIATRISTS
Psychiatrists’ 
responsibility for 
care and treatment 
of the patient.
18. Psychiatrists will be directly responsible for the care and
treatment of a number of patients under the overall administrative
supervision of the Superintendent. The psychiatrists shall have full
clinical control and responsibility for patients under their care.
They shall take full personal responsibility for the investigation
and/or treatment of patients without supervision. 
Examination of 
newly admitted 
patients. 
19. Psychiatrists shall examine every newly admitted patient
under their care and shall see that their instructions as to
classification, diet, nursing and treatment of all patients are
properly carried out and entered by the medical officers concerned
in the relative registers or case sheets.
Cases of violent or 
sudden death or 
absence without 
leave of patient.
20. When any violent or sudden death or absence without leave
of any patient under their care occurs the psychiatrists shall see that
the medical officer on duty has taken action as in regulation 40 of
these Regulations. The detailed report of the case and of any
investigations shall be submitted to the Chief Government Medical
Officer through the Superintendent. 
Lists of patients 
who are suicidal or 
who need 
particular 
attention.
21. The psychiatrists shall cause a list to be prepared of all
patients who are suicidal or subject to any disease or habit
requiring particular attention; such lists are to be delivered to the
nurses in each ward for their guidance, and are to be corrected from
time to time with every change. 
Continuous 
responsibility.
22. The psychiatrists’ responsibility for their patients applies
to them all continuously. This applies to in-patients and out-
patients, to urgent and non-urgent cases alike though the extent of
this responsibility may vary in accordance with the classification of
the patient (in-patient or out-patient) and circumstances of the case
(urgent and non-urgent). Psychiatrists shall be on call at any time to
give advice on their patients whenever this is needed. They will
assume functions relating to admissions, discharge, leave of
absence and dealings with relatives and curators of all patients
under their care. Privileges and general amenities within the
hospital are, however, subject to prior arrangements with the
Superintendent in accordance with the facilities available.
Delegation to other 
medical officers.
23. Day to day attention may be delegated to resident or other
medical officers but the psychiatrists’ overall and personal
responsibility for their patient continues, notwithstanding
delegation.
Misconduct of 
nurses or other 
employees.
24. The psychiatrists shall immediately make out a written
report to the Superintendent about any misconduct of nurses or
other employees towards patients under their care.
Official 
communications 
through the 
Superintendent.
25. All official communications with the exception of those
referring purely to the clinical and therapeutic conditions of
patients must be made through the Superintendent.
Research in 
hospital.
26. Any research carried out in hospital must have the prior
approval of the Chief Government Medical Officer. A record of any
research undertaken in connection with a particular patient or
patients shall be entered at the time on the patient’s clinical record.
All drugs used for research purposes shall be kept in the hospital
4 [ S.L.94.11
MEDICAL OFFICERS OF THE HOSPITAL 
FOR MENTAL DISEASES
pharmacy under the care of the apothecary.
IV. RESIDENT AND OTHER MEDICAL OFFICERS
Duties and 
functions of 
resident and other 
medical officers.
27. The resident and other medical officers shall perform such
medical and administrative duties as the Superintendent may
prescribe, subject to the approval of the Chief Government Medical
Officer. They shall be responsible for the mental and physical
treatment of patients allotted to their care under the guidance of the
Superintendent or the psychiatrist.
The medical 
register of patients.
28. The resident and other medical officers shall be entrusted
with the medical registers of patients, the case sheets and the diet
books and any other professional registers of the hospital as the
Superintendent may direct.
Residence. 29. The resident medical officers shall reside in the quarters
provided for them at the hospital.
Medical officers 
shall pay surprise 
visits
30. Each one of the medical officers shall pay surprise visits to
the wards at night at least once a month or more frequently if the
Superintendent so directs. The results of these visits shall be
entered in the officers’ night inspection book, which shall be
forwarded for the inspection of the Chief Government Medical
Officer every quarter, or more often, as required.
Attendance on new 
admissions.
31. All new admissions into the hospital must be attended to by
the medical officer on duty without delay. The medical officer on
duty shall examine the admission papers and see that they are in
order. Immediately on admission the medical officer on duty shall
examine the patient for any signs of injury or physical illness and
make a special note of the presence or absence of such injury or
illness.
Report on and 
history of the 
patient.
32. As soon as possible after admission and in any case within
twenty-four hours of admission, the medical officer is to draw up -
( a ) a complete and detailed report on the physical and
psychological condition of the patient on the official
case sheet; 
( b ) a history of the case as obtained in an interview with
the relatives or friends of the patient.
Subsequently, entries describing the course and progress of
the case and recording the medical and other treatment, with the
results, shall be made on the clinical record as follows: during the
first month after admission, twice in every week and more often
when necessary; afterwards, in recent cases, once at least in every
month; in other cases, notes shall be made as frequently as
necessary but at least three times a year, and one of these notes
shall contain the result of a complete physical examination. All
entries in the clinical record must be signed by the medical officer
making them.
Absence. 33. Medical officers shall not absent themselves from the
hospital whilst on duty without the consent of the Superintendent.
Private follow-up 
sessions.
34. Apart from the usual medical visits in the wards as
prescribed by the Superintendent, medical officers shall hold
MEDICAL OFFICERS OF THE HOSPITAL 
FOR MENTAL DISEASES [ S.L.94.11 5
private follow-up sessions with patients selected by the
Superintendent and/or psychiatrists recording the result of these
sessions on the relative case sheets.
Medical officer to 
be in charge of 
dispensary, etc.
35. One of the medical officers shall be in charge of the
dispensary, surgical dressing rooms and surgical appliances, and
shall see that proper inventories are kept by the assistant
apothecary. He shall be responsible for the supply of all drugs and
medicines prepared or issued by the assistant apothecary and shall
be accountable for the medicines and other things connected
thereto and under his charge.
Periods of duty.
other medical officers:
Winter:  8.30 a.m. to 12.00 noon 
2.00 p.m. to 4.00 p.m. 
Summer:  8.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m.
Day and night duty from 8.00 a.m. to 8.00 a.m. of the following
day. The above periods shall be allotted to the medical officers in
turn according to a roster prepared by the Superintendent and
subject to the approval of the Chief Government Medical Officer.
Ward visits. 
place from 9.00 a.m. to noon and from 2.00 p.m. to 4.00 p.m. in
winter, or from 3.00 p.m. to 5.00 p.m. in summer. The medical
officers shall supervise the conduct of nurses and others dealing
with patients and immediately report any misconduct, through the
psychiatrist in charge of the patient, to the Superintendent.
Medical officer 
may be called 
when not on duty.
38. Any medical officer, even when off duty, may be called to
the hospital at any time during the day or night if his attendance is
required by the Superintendent or in the latter’s absence, by the
medical officer on duty. 
Attendance 
registers.
39. The attendance registers of medical officers shall be kept
by the Superintendent and shall be forwarded for inspection by the
Chief Government Medical Officer at the end of each quarter.
Violent or sudden 
and unexpected 
death or absence 
without leave of 
any patient.
40. When any violent or sudden and unexpected death or
absence without leave of any patient occurs, medical officers shall
notify the Superintendent or the psychiatrist in charge of the case,
the relatives of the patient and the Police. Medical officers shall
submit a detailed report of the case and of their investigations
thereon to the Superintendent or psychiatrist for transmission to the
Chief Government Medical Officer through the Superintendent.
GENERAL
No information 
concerning patients 
to be given. 
41. Unless otherwise provided for in these Regulations, no
information concerning patients or hospital shall be given by
Medical officers to any unauthorised person or to the press unless
permission is obtained from the Chief Government Medical
Officer.
