CHECK ON PATIENTS

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31247, 20 December 1966, Page 22

CHECK ON PATIENTS

Precautions At Kingseat

(N.Z. Press Association >

AUCKLAND, Dec. 19.

Medical officers at Kingseat Psychiatric Hospital are to make a complete check of the case histories of all patients under 25 and make personal reports to the medical superintendent, Dr. D. M. F. McDonald.

This precaution is being taken because of the escape from the hospital on Sunday of four young inmates who kidnapped a male nurse and threatened him with a screwdriver.

The youths also threatened a farmer, Mr K. Mcßobbie, who caught them after a highspeed car chase about a mile and a half from the hospital. Dr. McDonald said today the youths had been quite well-behaved until Sunday. “I don’t know what got into them.”

He pointed out that Kingseat was an open hospital and any patients thought to be a security risk or a likely menace to the community would be placed in hospitals such as Oakley or Lake Alice. “ft is unlikely that we will discover any patients with dangerous tendencies,” Dr. McDonald said, “but if there is any remote possibility that an inmate could be a source of menace to neighbouring farmers, we will arrange a transfer from the hospital. We want to assure ourselves that nothing has been overlooked.”