7
a
18.
I am very much in sympathy with Dr. Conrad Lam's
views on the desirability of providing hospice-type
services for terminally-ill patients, although I think
that given the resource constraints it will be some time
before we are able to introduce this service generally in
our public hospitals. The Medical Development Advisory
Committee advised in March of this year that in principle
е hospice care should be introducă, although the methods
adopted elsewhere will probably need to be adopted to some
extent to meet local conditions. I am very glad that
several subvented hospitals are introducing various forms
of palliative care for patients who are terminally ill,
while the Medical and Health Department has started two
pilot schemes in the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and the
Prince of Wales Hospital for a hospital visitation
volunteer service which will co-ordinate the voluntary
services available.
14.
The
Dr. Chiu spoke at some length on the importance of
genetic counselling, and the need to make the general
public aware of the existence of this service, so that
better use can be made of the existing facilities.
Director of Medical and Health Services informs me that
education and publicity on medical genetics and genetic
counselling are now being undertaken by the Medical and
Health Department, the Hong Kong Society of Medical
Genetics and voluntary agencies interested in the subject,
and plans have been drawn up by the
cment for the
development of this service.
pepartment
S.cap