the Medical Services in various duties. Members also attended at the scenes of a number of fires in Hong Kong and Kowloon during the year.
REGISTRATION OF MEDICAL CLINICS
(See table 43)
139. In accordance with the Medical Clinics Ordinance, Chapter 343, all clinics, except the mobile vans which were formerly registered with exemption (that is operated by unregistered doctors) were required to be re-registered annually. As on 31st March, 1968 there were 75 registered static clinics and 3 registered mobile clines in the charge of registered medical practitioners and 380 clinics registered with exemp- Lion, making a total of 458 which is slightly less than the previous year's total of 475.
140. The decrease is more than compensated by the implementation of the Low Cost Medical Care Scheme under which static clinics were to be set up in Resettlement and Housing Estates. The aim is to provide one doctor for every 6,000 residents with priority given to registered practitioners. At the end of the year under review there were 31 clinics in Resettlement Estates and 18 in Housing Estates being operated by registered doctors. In addition, there were 11 clinics in Resettlement Estates and 2 clinics in the Hong Kong Housing Societies which were registered with exemption.
V. GOVERNMENT-ASSISTED HOSPITALS
(See table 66)
141. Financial assistance mainly by means of an annual subvention is given by Government to certain voluntary organizations maintaining hospitals in the Colony. Such hospitals, containing a total of 6,109 beds. provide mainly subacute general beds or facilities for persons suffering from certain specific diseases or handicaps. The total Government sub- vention to these hospitals during the year was $45,165,314 recurrent and $541.589 special expenditure.
THE TUNG WAH GROUP OF HOSPITALS
142. The Tung Wah Group of Hospitals is a long-established Chinese charitable organization and is managed by a Board of Directors elected annually. During recent years a programme of modernization and
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expansion has been undertaken with assistance from Government in terms of personnel, especially medical officer and consultant services, money and material, with a subvention amounting to $27,268,888.
143. The Intensive Care Unit at Kwong Wah Hospital was opened in March 1968. The Unit with a total of 16 beds is equipped with life- saving facilities and provides intensive nursing care. active treatment and continuous close observation for critical cases.
144. The Casualty Department at Kwong Wah Hospital, opened in July 1965, continued to relieve some of the heavy pressure on the Casualty Department in Queen Elizabeth Hospital and to provide additional casualty facilities for the public in Kowloon and the New Territories. The Department. initially staffed by secondment from Government, was finally managed by the Hospital's own staff in 1967. During the year there were 66,000 casualty attendances at the Depart- ment of which 19% were traumatic cases.
145. The need for subsidiary beds for long-term patients was stressed in the Medical Development Plan and the Group's programme of devel- opment was directed towards the provision of these. During the year work on Wong Tai Sin Infirmary's Phases II and III continued. On completion of the whole project, it will give an overall total of 800 beds.
THE ALICE HO MIU LING NETHERSOLE HOSPITAL
146. This hospital, supported by the London Missionary Society. received a Government subvention of $2,500,000 during the year. The building of the new East Wing, officially opened in December, and the associated alterations in the rest of the Hospital have greatly improved the facilities. New features provided in the hospital include a central sterile supply department, central milk kitchen, intensive care unit and laundry. Several departments including pharmacy, radiology, blood bank and haematology, laboratory, operating theatres, casualty and ward units have been re-modelled or rebuilt.
POK OF HOSPITAL
147. This charitable hospital at Yuen Long in the New Territories continued to serve the population in Yuen Long and its adjoining areas. The hospital's programme of modest expansion progressed satisfactorily and new projects including minor staff quarters, a kitchen and a mortuary were under consideration at the end of the year under review.
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