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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20, 1977
PLANS TO DEVELOP MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES OUTLINED
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THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, DR. THE HON. K.L. THONG, TODAY OUTLINED PLANS TO DEVELOP MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES AND TO STREAM-LINE THE ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE IN ORDER TO COPE WITH NEW CHALLENGES AND DEMANDS FOR BETTER AND IMPROVED SERVICES.
HE ALSO TOLD OF THE PROBLEMS CONFRONTING THE DEPARTMENT AND THE CONSTRAINTS UPON THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES.
SPEAKING IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL DURING THE RESUMED BUDGET DEBATE, DR. THONG DESCRIBED THE INTRODUCTION OF THE REGIONAL ISATION SCHEME ON APRIL 1 AS AN ESSENTIAL STEP IN THE PROVISION OF GOOD AND EFFICIENT MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES.
THE PRIMARY OBJECTIVE OF REGIONALISATION, HE SAID, WAS TO ENSURE THAT +FACILITIES ARE PROVIDED WHERE THEY CAN BE BEST USED, THAT RESOURCES ARE NOT UNNECESSARILY DUPLICATED AND THAT ONE SERVICE COMPLEMENTS ANOTHER.+
+BY JUDICIOUS USE OF ALL RESOURCES AVAILABLE AND UNDER THE CONTROL OF MANAGEMENT ON THE SPOT, IT IS HOPED TO RELIEVE CONGESTION IN THE REGIONAL HOSPITALS AND TO MAKE BETTER USE OF UNDER-UTILISED FACILITIES IN SOME DISTRICT HOSPITALS,+ HE SAID.
+UNDER THIS SCHEME IT IS ALSO POSSIBLE TO SPREAD MORE EVENLY THE CASE LOADS BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AND GOVERNMENT-ASSISTED HOSPITALS AND IN THIS WAY PROVIDE A MORE BALANCED SERVICE IN EACH REGION BASED UPON THE REGIONAL HOSPITAL, HE ADDED.
THE DIRECTOR SAID IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS PRINCIPLE A DETERMINED EFFORT WAS BEING MADE TO ELIMINATE THE USE OF TEMPORARY BEDS IN QUEEN MARY AND QUEEN ELIZABETH HOSPITALS.
+WITH THIS ALL-OUT EFFORT AND THE GOODWILL AND COOPERATION OF ALL CONCERNED, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO SOLVE THIS CLASSIC PROBLEM IN OUR TWO MAJOR HOSPITALS BY THE END OF THE YEAR, HE ADDED.-
LOOKING INTO THE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT, DR. THONG SAID SPECIAL DEMANDS WERE LIKELY TO COME FROM THE RAPIDLY GROWING AGGLOMERATIONS
IN PARTS OF KOWLOON, SPECIFICALLY EAST KOWLOON AND KWUN TONG AND THE NEW TERRITORIES.
THUS, PLANS WERE IN HAND TO PROVIDE MORE IN-PATIENT AND OUT-PATIENT FACILITIES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE AREAS OF MOST DEMAND, HE SAID.
THESE PROJECTS INCLUDE THREE HOSPITALS, ONE EACH AT EAST KOWLOON, SHA TIN AND TUEN MUN AND A NUMBER OF SPECIALIST CLINICS AND GENERAL CLINICS.
/WHEEN ALL