appointment can be given.
It is
not
possible,
5
In critical cases, clearly
I think, to state any
target date to cover all specialties and all types and all
severities, of ailment.
MRS. CHOW: Does the Government accept that the present length of waiting
time, both in average terms and in maximum terms, is not
acceptable? And if Government does accept that it is
unacceptably long, would there be some kind of plan to
try and shorten the average or the maximum in the interim
before the two new clinics are completed? In other words,
could some kind of target be set up, as suggested by
Mr. HO, that they need to be shortened because they are
unacceptably long at the moment?
SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE:
Sir, I think, as I
said earlier, the director feels that the waiting times
are certainly not ideal and
should be improved, but
he does not see the present situation as a crisis. There
are plans to expand hospital services generally. New
hospitals, of course, very often include specialist clinics
in addition to the specific ones that I referred to.
we have plans to improve the situation.
have
I/referred
So
MR. CHEONG-LEEN: Sir, specifically in the case of
paediatrics, which involves children, what is the average