Private Hospitals
224. There are ten private hospitals in the Colony, having a total of 938 beda. Of these seven are on Hong Kong Island, two in Kowloon, and one in the New Territories. There is consider- able difference in the sizes of these hospitals, ranging from the smallest with 34 beds to the largest with 233 beds. The majority are operated by missionary and other charity organizations. The total number of in-patients treated in this group of hospitals during the year was 17,699 as compared with 17,586 in the previous year. Out-patients numbered 59,204, as compared with 46,861 în 1951.
V. GENERAL OUT-PATIENT SERVICES
225. Details of attendances at the various out-patient in- stitutions are set forth in Appendices 14 to 17 inclusive. General comments on these institutions follow.
URBAN AREAS.
Sat Ping Pun Out-patient Department.
226. This is situated close to the Sai Ying Pun Infectious Diseases Hospital in the Western district of Victoria. It is the largest organization on the Island providing services to out- patients. General clinics are held in the mornings and evenings and in the afternoons there are special teaching clinics conducted by University and Government staff. The accommodation avail- able is inadequate for the great volume of work undertaken. Space is so limited that, in certain instances, two doctors share a single consulting room and see patients at the same time. Total attendances at this out-patient department numbered 262,198, as compared with 242,635 in 1951.
227. Here, as at all other out-patient institutions, patients are charged $1 for each visit but this charge may be waived when it is considered to be beyond the means of the patient.
Violet Peel Polyclinic.
228. This clinic is situated in a heavily populated part of the Eastern district of Victoria. It has a staff of four doctors and, in addition, sessions are held from time to time by various
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specialist officers from Queen Mary Hospital. In addition, evening clinics are held from 6.00 p.m. to midnight for which two additional doctors are available. Throughout the year, the pressure on this clinic was extreme and, on numerous occasions, crowds were so great that all the patients presenting themselves on any particular day could not be dealt with. The number of attendances during the year was 235,740 as compared with 171,805 in the previous year.
Public Dispensaries.
229. In the urban areas there are ten public dispensaries, live on Hong Kong Island and five in Kowloon. In most cases, the premises are old and out-moded and the accommodation is insufficient to meet the demand. Attached to six of these dis- pensaries are midwives who undertake a domiciliary midwifery service in the surrounding areas.
230. Total attendances at these dispensaries numbered 414,084, of which 260,019 were new cASES. Details of atten- dances are shown in Appendix 16.
Families' Clinic.
231. This clinic is operated in Victoria for the benefit of Government employees and their dependents. The staff consists of a medical officer and a nursing sister and it operates only in the mornings. Attendances numbered 7,904 as compared with 7,284 in 1951.
Police Mediaal Post.
232. This post is maintained for the convenience of members of the Police Department and their dependents. It is situated in the Central Police Station, Victoria, and is under the charge of a part-time medical officer. Attendances numbered 27,873.
Dispensary, Victoria Remand Prison.
233. This dispensary provides for prisoners on remand before they are transferred to the Colony's prisons. It is operated by the medical officer who is also in charge of the Police Medical Post. The number of attendances at this dispensary was 12,834.
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