WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1977
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WAITING AREAS FOR PATIENTS SEEKING MEDICAL CONSULTATION ******
IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE POLICY OF THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO PROVIDE SPECIAL WAITING AREAS WITHIN OR CLOSE TO GOVERNMENT CLINICS FOR PATIENTS SEEK ING CONSULTATION PROVIDED THAT SPACE IS AVAILABLE AND THE CONSTRUCTION OF SUCH AREAS IS POSSIBLE.
THIS WAS STATED BY THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, DR. THE HON. K.L. THONG, IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL THIS AFTERNOON.
IN FACT, HE SAID, MOST OF THE BUSY GOVERNMENT CLINICS WERE ALREADY SO PROVIDED.
DR. THONG WAS REPLYING TO UNOFFICIAL MEMBER, THE HON. ROGER LOBO, WHO ASKED IF THE GOVERNMENT WOULD PROVIDE SPECIAL WAITING AREAS AT CLINICS SO THAT PATIENTS AWAITING CONSULTATION ARE NOT EXPOSED TO THE WEATHER AND POSSIBLE INTIMIDATION OR ASSAULT BY UNDESIRABLE ELEMENTS.
THE DIRECTOR SAID THAT WHILE COVERED AREAS AFFORDED SUBSTANTIAL PROTECTION FROM INCLEMENT WEATHER, THE QUESTION OF PROTECTION FROM POSSIBLE INTIMIDATION OR ASSAULT BY UNDESIRABLE ELEMENTS WAS BASICALLY A MATTER OF LAW AND ORDER.
IN REPLY TO OTHER QUESTIONS BY DR. THE HON. HARRY FANG ON THE SUBJECT OF DISABILITY ALLOWANCE, DR. THONG SAID THE ASSESSMENT OF THE DISABLED WAS BEING CARRIED OUT BY MEDICAL OFFICERS EXPERIENCED OR SPECIALISED IN THIS WORK.
THE PRESENT CRITERIA USED BY THE DEPARTMENT COVERED ALL DISABLED PERSONS WITH PHYSICAL OR MENTAL DISABILITIES WHICH ARE BROADLY EQUIVALENT TO A TOTAL LOSS OF EARNING CAPACITY AND THOSE DISABLED WHO ARE IN NEED OF SUBSTANTIAL HELP FROM OTHERS TO COPE WITH DAILY LIFE, HE SAID.
IN THE ASSESSMENT OF MENTALLY RETARDED PERSONS THE CLINICAL EXAMINATION AND JUDGMENT OF THE ATTENDING DOCTOR ARE ESSENTIAL IN DETERMINING THE DEGREE OF DISABILITIES, HE ADDED,
DR. THONG SAID AT PRESENT ABOUT 300 CASES WERE ASSESSED EACH MONTH BY DOCTORS IN 36 GOVERNMENT AND GOVERNMENT-ASSISTED INSTITUTIONS, WHICH MEANT AN AVERAGE OF ABOUT EIGHT CASES IN A CLINIC EACH MONTH.
+FROM OUR EXPERIENCE SO FAR THE HANDLING THIS SMALL NUMBER OF CASES,
CLINICS ARE CAPABLE OF
HE SAID.
HOWEVER, SHOULD A NEED ARISE IN FUTURE, HE SAID, THE GOVERNMENT WOULD CERTAINLY CONSIDER DR. FANG'S PROPOSAL TO ENLIST THE SERVICES OF THE MEDICAL ASSOCIATIONS OR MEDICALLY QUALIFIED JUSTICES OF PEACE TO ASSIST IN SUCH ASSESSMENT.
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