29
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 2, 1978
WAITING TIME FOR CIVIL SERVANTS SEEKING MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS
******
THE GOVERNMENT IS GENERALLY SATISFIED WITH THE WAITING PERIOD FOR CIVIL SERVANTS TO OBTAIN MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS AND IMMEDIATE CONSULTATION IS ALWAYS AVAILABLE TO THEM IN EMERGENCY CASES.
THIS WAS STATED BY THE SECRETARY FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE, THE HON. MARTIN ROWLANDS IN REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON. T.S. LO IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
HOWEVER, MR. ROWLANDS SAID THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES IS CONSIDERING WAYS OF REDUCING THE WAITING TIME AT QUEEN ELIZABETH HOSPITAL, POSSIBLY BY AUGMENTING THE FACILITIES
ELSEWHERE.
HE ALSO POINTED OUT THAT THE PRESENT WAITING PERIODS FOR CIVIL SERVANTS TO OBTAIN APPOINTMENTS TO SEE MEDICAL CONSULTANTS IN NON-EMERGENCY SPECIALTIES RANGE FROM THREE DAYS FOR PAEDIATRICS IN QUEEN MARY HOSPITAL TO 5-12 WEEKS FOR MEDICAL IN QUEEN ELIZABETH HOSPITAL. FOR MOST OTHER SPECIALTY APPOINTMENTS THE AVERAGE WAITING TIME IS ABOUT ONE WEEK.
MR, ROWLANDS SAID THE PRESENT WAITING TIME OF 6-7 MONTHS FOR DENTAL APPOINTMENTS IS ACCEPTABLE FOR ROUTINE CHECKS AND SCALING, BUT THERE ARE SOME NON-EMERGENCY CASES WHERE QUICKER TREATMENT WOULD BE DESIRABLE.
+THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES IS MONITORING THE SITUATION CLOSELY AND IT IS HOPED THAT THE RECENTLY OPENED EVENING DENTAL CLINICS WILL LEAD TO AN IMPROVEMENT, HE SAID.
MR. ROWLANDS ALSO NOTED THAT THE WAITING TIME FOR DENTAL PROSTHESES IS ABOUT 18 MONTHS AND IT IS FAR FROM SATISFACTORY. HE SAID IT IS PROPOSED TO LET OUT SOME OF THE WORK TO PRIVATE DENTAL LABORATORIES IN ORDER TO REDUCE THE BACKLOG.
STEPS ARE ALSO BEING TAKEN TO INCREASE OUTPUT FROM THE GOVERNMENT'S OWN DENTAL LABORATORIES, MR. ROWLANDS SAID.
/30