FRIDAY, APRIL 22, 1977
PRINCESS MARGARET HOSPITAL TO START 24-HOUR CASUALTY SERVICE
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THE PRINCESS MARGARET HOSPITAL AT LAI CHI KOK WILL PROVIDE A 24-HOUR CASUALTY SERVICE FROM MONDAY (APRIL 25) AS THE 1,300-BED MAJOR GOVERNMENT HOSPITAL BECOMES FULLY OPERATIONAL.
THE EXPANSION OF CASUALTY SERVICE COINCIDES WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE REGIONALISATION SCHEME, WHICH WAS INTRODUCTED ON APRIL 1 AS PART OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENTS EFFORTS TO IMPROVE HOSPITAL AND CLINIC SERVICES.
UNDER THE SCHEME, PRINCESS MARGARET HOSITAL SERVES AS THE REGIONAL HOSPITAL FOR WEST NEW TERRITORIES, PROVIDING FULL-TIME CASUALTY AND SPECIALIST SERVICES FOR RESIDENTS IN THIS REGION.
WITH THE OPERATION OF THE ROUND-THE-CLOCK CASUALTY SERVICE AT THE PRINCESS MARGARET HOSPITAL, THE HEAVY PRESSURE WHICH HAS BEEN PLACED ON QUEEN ELIZABETH HOSPITAL IS EXPECTED TO BE FURTHER ALLEVIATED.
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT ADVISED THE PUBLIC TO MAKE USE OF THE FACILITIES IN THE AREA IN WHICH THEY RESIDE.
HE POINTED OUT THAT THERE ARE REGIONAL AND DISTRICT HOSPITALS IN EACH OF THE FOUR REGIONS UNDER THE REGIONALISATION SCHEME AND RESIDENTS SHOULD GO TO THE NEAREST HOSPITAL IF THEY NEED EMERGENCY TREATMENT.
THE SPOKESMAN URGED RESIDENTS NOT TO CONFUSE CASUALTY SERVICE, WHICH IS FOR TREATING EMERGENCY CASES, WITH GENERAL OUTPATIENT SERVICE PROVIDED BY GOVERNMENT CLINICS.
HE SAID QUITE A LARGE PROPORTION OF CASES SEEN AT CASUALTY DEPARTMENTS SHOULD HAVE BEEN SEEN AT THE OUT-PATIENT CLINICS, WHICH ARE SET UP IN ALMOST EVERY DISTRICT THROUGHOUT HONG KONG.
+NON-EMERGENCY CASES TURNING UP AT THE CASUALTY DEPARTMENTS WOULD DELAY TREATMENT FOR THOSE WHO NEED IMMEDIATE ATTENTION, +HE STRESSED.
LAST YEAR, A TOTAL OF 606,000 CASES WERE DEALT WITH AT THE CASUALTY DEPARTMENTS OF GOVERNMENT AND GOVERNMENT ASSISTED HOSPITALS. OF THESE, 40 PER CENT WENT THROUGH THE QUEEN ELIZABETH HOSPITAL ALONE.
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