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HEALTH
The service extends care to patients discharged from hospitals after acute illnesses, and provides domicillary medical care for the sick, the disabled and the elderly in their homes. During the year 6,859 patients were treated by community nurses and more than 112,500 home visits were made. At the end of the year, plans were in hand to expand the scope of the present service.
Health Education
The Central Health Education Unit plans and implements health education programmes, either departmentally or in co-operation with voluntary agencies. It campaigned ener- getically in a number of causes during the year. In January, a Family Health Campaign promoted public awareness of maternal and child health and the work of the Family Health Service, and an exhibition held at the City Hall in March, attracted over 40,000 people.
In recognition of the World Health Organisation's Anti-smoking Year, the unit co- operated with the Hong Kong Cardiological Society, the Hong Kong Anti-cancer Society, the Hong Kong Heart Foundation and the Stoma Association of Hong Kong in mounting exhibitions and slide shows and distributing pamphlets and posters. Other major health education campaigns included a tuberculosis case-finding campaign and a rubella vaccina- tion campaign.
A Health Education Resource Supply and Counselling Service was set up in January and catalogues were widely distributed to facilitate full utilisation of the unit's supply of films, slides, pamphlets, booklets and posters. Professional advice on health education methodology was given to other departments and voluntary agencies. The unit also conducts educational programmes for schools and community groups on such topics as the health of the elderly, sex education and personal hygiene.
Medical Fees
The charge for a consultation at a government clinic was raised from $2 to $3 in 1980. This fee includes medicine as well as X-ray examinations and laboratory tests. If a patient requires a specialist's opinion, he is referred to a polyclinic for consultation, which also costs $3 a visit. This charge is waived if people genuinely are unable to afford it. Free services continue to be offered at maternal and child health centres, tuberculosis and chest clinics, casualty departments, floating clinics and through the 'flying doctor' service.
Patients in the general wards of government hospitals are charged $5 a day for diet, X-ray examinations, laboratory tests, drugs, surgery, and any other forms of special treatment required. Again, this daily maintenance charge may be waived if necessary. A limited number of private rooms are provided at major hospitals. The maintenance charges for these are much higher and additional charges are made for treatment procedures.
Training
Graduates of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Hong Kong receive Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degrees that have been recognised by the General Medical Council of Great Britain since 1911. Both the government and the university maintain a post-graduate training programme. Opportunities are available for doctors to sit for higher professional examinations in Hong Kong, by arrangement with various organisations in the United Kingdom and Australasia.