THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 1978
SECRETARY OF STATE FOR SOCIAL SERVICES PRAISES
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H.K.'S. MEDICAL SERVICES
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THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR SOCIAL SERVICES, THE RT. HON. DAVID ENNALS. HAS DESCRIBED AS +FANTASTIC+ THE PROGRESS BEING MADE IN HONG KONG'S MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES IN THE FACE OF THE RAPID INCREASE IN POPULATION IN A RELATIVELY SMALL CONCENTRATED AREA.
+ I AM VERY MUCH ENCOURAGED TO SEE THE TREMENDOUS DEVELOPMENT IN THE PROVISION OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH CARE FOR SUCH A HIGH DENSITY OF POPULATION,+ HE SAID.
MR. ENNALS MADE THE REMARK THIS MORNING AT THE END OF AN EXTENSIVE TOUR OF THE QUEEN ELIZABETH HOSPITAL, ONE OF THE LARGEST ACUTE GENERAL HOSPITALS IN THE FAR EAST, AFTER AN EXCHANGE OF VIEWS WITH THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, DR. K.L. THONG.
HE SAID HE WAS IMPRESSED WITH THE MEDICAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME PLAN THAT IS BEING IMPLEMENTED, WHICH WOULD SEE AN ADDITIONAL 5,000 BEDS IN THREE NEW MAJOR HOSPITALS WITHIN THE NEXT SEVEN YEARS.
MR. ENNALS SAID HE WAS PARTICULARLY PLEASED TO LEARN OF THE CLOSE CO-OPERATION BETWEEN BRITAIN AND HONG KONG IN THE FIELD OF MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY AND RESEARCH.
HE SAW MANY OTHER AREAS WHERE CO-OPERATIVE EFFORTS COULD BE FURTHER EXTENDED, SUCH AS THE SUPPLY OF BRITISH MANUFACTURED MODERN MEDICAL EQUIPMENT TO HONG KONG.
DURING HIS TOUR OF THE HOSPITAL, MR. ENNALS SHOWED A KEEN INTEREST IN A NEW $2 MILLION LINEAR ACCELERATOR, RECENTLY INSTALLED AT THE HOSPITAL'S INSTITUTE OF RADIOLOGY, WHICH IS A HIGHLY SOPHISTICATED X-RAY MACHINE FOR THE TREATMENT OF CANCER PATIENTS.
HE SAID HE WAS ENCOURAGED TO SEE THE HIGH STANDARD OF MEDICAL CARE PROVIDED BY THE INSTITUTE, BOTH IN TERMS OF PROFESSIONAL SKILL AND ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY.
MR. ENNALS ALSO SPENT SOME TIME IN THE SCHOOL OF GENERAL NURSING RUN BY THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT, WHERE HE SAW THE COMPREHENSIVE TRAINING PROGRAMMES FOR GENERAL NURSES.
HE SAID HE WAS PARTICULARLY PLEASED TO KNOW THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE NURSES CHOSE TO REMAIN IN PUBLIC SERVICE AFTER COMPLETING THE IR TRAINING COURSES.
MR. ENNALS ENDED HIS TOUR OF THE HOSPITAL WITH A VISIT TO THE CASUALTY DEPARTMENT, WHICH DAILY HANDLES ALMOST AS MANY CASUALTY CASES AS IN ALL OTHER HOSPITALS COMBINED. HE SAID HE WAS EXTREMELY IMPRESSED WITH THE HIGH STANDARD OF CASUALTY SERVICE PROVIDED BY THE HOSPITAL STAFF.
ALSO TAKING PART IN THE HOSPITAL TOUR WERE A LABOUR MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT, MR. RODERICK MACFARQUHAR AND MR, ENNAL'S PRIVATE SECRETARY, MR. JOHN RODGERS.
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