independent at the Urban Services Department's all-season swimming pool at Morrison Hill. As more major surgery came to be done at the Queen Mary Hospital, the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, and the Surgical Thoracic Unit at the Kowloon Hospital, more time came to be spent on pre and post-operative care.
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY
180. During the year, the occupational therapy sub-department reached full strength with the appointment of two expatriate officers, and the return of one scholarship graduate from the New South Wales College of Occupational Therapy in Sydney.
181. There was an increased demand for occupational therapy services in many govemment hospitals and out-patient centres-there are now eleven occupational therapy units within the sub-department. Otherwise, treatment in 1972 followed the same pattern as in previous years, with the same aim in view-to assist patients to return to their previous employment, or to an alternative form of livelihood.
182. The occupational therapy units in the Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth hospitals continued with the treatment of in-patients. The Queen Elizabeth Hospital also has a regular attendance of out-patients, The Lai Chi Kok Hospital occupational therapy unit was closed on 10th April, 1972, becasue of an acute staff shortage. The Wan Chai Polyclinic unit continued to function to the maximum, despite its physical limitations and location, and these together prevented further expansion of the service offered.
183. The occupational therapy unit continued to provide a diverse programme of progressive treatment in the Case Peak Hospital cover- ing work, recreation and group-social activities. The Hong Kong Psychiatric Centre and the Yau Ma Tei Mental Health Centre con- tinued to provide a treatment programme for out-patients, including selected patients from the Castle Peak Hospital. For the latter, a short follow-up period was necessary, and the same was also true for those receiving other forms of therapy referred for observation prior to assessment for future employment.
PROSTHETIC-ORTHOTIC SERVICE
184. The prosthetic-orthotic service provides modern artificial limbs and orthopaedic appliances for the public and for in-patients of
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government hospitals. The demand for prosthetic-orthotic service con- linued to rise as a result of increased industrial and traffic accidents. Though the number of new poliomyelitis patients requiring orthopaedic appliances decreased, the old poliomyelitis patients were growing up during the year, and so the demand for medium and large sizes of long leg-braces with knee-hinges increased.
185. To ensure that artificial limbs available in Hong Kong were the best possible, and that the method of fabrication and limb-fitting kept abreast of developments, one prosthetist was sent abroad in July 1972 to take a post-graduate prosthetic course, to make an up-to-date general survey of prosthetics and orthotics in England, Denmark, and West Germany, and to work in some of the research and development centres in those countries.
186. Work study in the production of artificial limbs continued. The main research and development undertaken during the year in- cluded: (i) dynamic splint for the correction of T.E.V. foot deformities, (ii) new techniques for fitting and manufacturing below-knee prosthesis, and (iii) improved design of all walking aids.
MEDICAL EXAMINATION BOARD
187. This section carries out medical examinations of new entrants to the civil service and certain units of the Essential Services Corps. The number of persons classified as unfit, on account of tuberculosis, decreased considerably in 1972 when compared with the previous year. Tuberculosis remained the primary reason for non-acceptance of applicants on medical grounds, being responsible for seven out of the 10 classifications as 'unfit' in each 1,000 examinations. The Medical Examination Bound is now located in the Canton Road government offices.
HOSPITAL MAINTENANCE AND SUPPLY
188. The development of the services provided in medical institu- tions operated by the Medical and Health Department continued during the year to make the administration and supply of the hospital service increasingly complex.
189. Work on the planning and commissioning of the Princess Margaret Hospital complex made good progress. The majority of the equipment is on order, or will soon be. A Commissioning Unit has been formed, and it is expected that the general hospital will be
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