Supplementary to Question No. 11 in
Legislative Council on 20.11.85
Mr. Conrad Lam: Mr. Chairman, when did the 277 cases mentioned in the first
paragraph happen and how does this number compare with the number of cases of
maltreating children?
Secretary for Health and Welfare : Sir, there are at least 277 active cases at the
latter part of 1983 when the survey was conducted. I do not have with me figures of
the abuse of children, but I am sure that there are far more cases of that type than
there are cases of abuse of the elderly but I will give Dr Lam a note setting out
the comparison.
Miss Dunn Sir, on the same thing, is the Government satisfied that the study conducted
in 1983 based on cases being handled by various agencies at that time aan be taken
as an indication a realistic indication, whether or not there is a problem?
Secretary for Health and Welfare: Sir, we have no reason to suspect the situation has
notably worsened during the last two years.
Mr. HUI Yin-fat: Sir, will the Government consider to co-ordinate among its
departments, voluntary agencies and professional groups concerned to work out a
guideline to identify, assist and protect the abused elderly just as the ones
established for child abuse cases ?
Secretary for Helath and Welfare : Sir, I agree with Mr HUI that it would be worthwhile
conducting a similar exercise to the one we did on abused children a little while
ago. I propose to undertake this.