(1) Part-Time Clinics
In order to provide facilities in the outlying districts for both diagnosis and treatment, clinics are held in all the main centres of population outside the urban area. These clinics are run on the basis of one half day session per week, the medical and auxiliary staff being supplied from the central clinics. X-ray facilities are provided either by the Mobile X-ray Unit or by reference to the central clinics, whichever is the more convenient for the patients. Half-day sessions are held at the following places:
Sai Kung, Tsuen Wan. Tai Po, Sheung Shui, Yuen Long, Aberdeen, Stanley and at St. John Hospital, Cheung Chaủ. In the more remote places or where it is uneconomic to maintain a branch clinic, treatment may be directed from the nearest branch clinic and carried out at a public dispensary, Such arrangements are in operation at Silvermine Bay. Peng Chau Island, Ma Wan Island and Lamma Island.
All diagnosis and treatment at the various Government tuberculosis clinics is carried out free of charge.
(III) Government Operated and Controlled Hospitals
Hospital treatment is available for patients suffering from tuberculosis in the undermentioned hospitals. All treatment is directed by the Tuberculosis Service.
(1) Queen Mary Hospital
General hospital, with beds set aside for Surgical
treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis
69 beds
(9) Lai Chi Kok Hospital
Infectious diseases hospital, with beds set aside for
medical and post-surgical treatment
176 beds
(3) St. John Hospital, Cheung Chaw
Small 'cottage' type hospital, with beds set aside
for medical and convalescent care...
الله الله الله
42 beds
287 beds
Twenty six beds in Lai Chi Kok Hospital have been temporarily released to meet the needs of diphtheria patients.
(IV) Other Hospitals
Sandy Bay Convalescent Home, with forty two beds, is under the medical direction of the Consulting Orthopaedic Surgeon to the Government, admissions and social work being carried out by the Government Tuberculosis Almoner.
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J
Tuberculosis Service-Staff
155.
The staff employed full time in the service is as follows: Senior Taberculosis Specialist
Tuberculosis Specialist
Medical Officers {
Hospital
Clinic
Nurses Almoners
Assistant Almoners Tuberculosis Visitors Clerks
--,
Vaccinators
B.C.C. Office Clerks
Drivers Ancillary Staff
Total
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www.
1 (Vacant)
TT
15
2
6 (one vacancy)
27
IB
3
I
18
104
156. This does not include the staff of the Radiological Division who give full or part time service to the Tuberculosis Service, nor does it include staff of the laboratories of the Government Pathological Institute who do the bacteriological work in connexion with tuberculosis patients. This arrangement is convenient and operates satisfactorily.
Attendances at Clinics
157. As a result of the steadily increasing pressure of attendances at the clinics it was considered necessary in December 1955 to limit the attendances of new patients to a maximum of sixty each day at the main clinics. Despite this limitation of new patients, total attendances have continued to rise in the main clinics. At the branch clinics there is no restriction of the number of new patients attending. Details of attendances during the year were as follows:
TABLE 7
First attendances
Revisits
Main Clinics Branch Clinics Main Clinics Branch Clinics
7956 32,276
1957
32,850
2,33]
2,276
373.222
498,461
28,346
40,821
Total Attendances
436,175
$74,408
158. Exclusive of negative contacts and negative survey cases the total number of patients under treatment at the clinics during the year was 55,322.
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