In today’s increasingly complex healthcare environment, nurses are required not only to possess clinical skills but also a sound understanding of legal responsibilities and patient rights. Mr. Vincent Chong, solicitor at our firm, was recently invited by the Hospital Authority (HA) to deliver a professional training session titled “Ethical and Legal Aspects in Learning Disabilities Nursing,” which was met with enthusiastic reception.

A Dual Lens: Legal and Social Work Expertise

Mr. Chong brings a unique interdisciplinary background as both a solicitor and a registered social worker. With prior work in juvenile justice, mental health, and men’s support services, and teaching roles at the Hong Kong Baptist University, he is skilled in bridging legal theory with real-world care scenarios.

Training Highlights: Legal and Ethical Knowledge for Nurses

Tailored specifically for nurses caring for individuals with learning disabilities, the course addressed several core issues:

1. Legal Frameworks and Disability Rights

• Equal treatment principles under the Disability Discrimination Ordinance (DDO)
• Constitutional protections under the Basic Law and Hong Kong Bill of Rights Ordinance
• Obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)

2. Guardianship and Decision-Making for Mentally Incapacitated Persons (MIP)

• Application and operation of guardianship orders (Mental Health Ordinance, Part IVB)
• Emergency treatment situations and substitute consent under Part IVC
• Limitations of enduring powers of attorney and committee orders

3. Valid and Informed Consent in Clinical Practice

• Assessing patient capacity: understanding, retention, and reasoning
• Key elements: capacity, voluntariness, and provision of sufficient information
• Legal consequences of failing to obtain consent (civil and criminal)

4. Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse (Effective 2026)

• Thresholds of “serious harm” requiring reporting
• Legal protections for professionals who report
• Offences and penalties for failing to report

Bridging Ethics with Practice

Beyond legal frameworks, Mr. Chong emphasized ethical decision-making in complex clinical situations involving restraints, abortion, or high-risk mental health cases. He encouraged nurses to consider patient autonomy, family rights, medical risks, and legal standards in an integrated manner.

Case Studies: Learning Through Real-Life Examples

The training incorporated significant local case studies, including:

• A deaf patient’s suicide following failure to arrange a sign language interpreter
• A court inquest into the use of a restraint vest on an MIP patient
• A successful judicial review on disability discrimination in education policy

These examples deepened participants’ understanding of both the legal boundaries and the human impact of healthcare decisions.

A Milestone in Cross-Professional Collaboration

We are proud of Mr. Chong’s contribution to advancing public healthcare’s ethical and legal practice. This workshop demonstrates the value of collaboration between law and healthcare—and reflects our firm’s ongoing commitment to legal education, social justice, and professional responsibility.

📧 For enquiries about legal training or consultation on medical ethics and disability law, please contact Mr. Vincent Chong