WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 8, 1986
IMPRESSIVE EXPANSION OF MEDICAL SERVICES
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THE GROWING AWARENESS IN THE COMMUNITY OF THE NEED TO PROVIDE CARE AND SUPPORT FOR THOSE UNABLE TO CARE FOR THEMSELVES HAS BEEN MATCHED BY AN IMPRESSIVE EXPANSION OF MEDICAL AND WELFARE SERVICES IN THE LAST 10 YEARS, THE GOVERNOR,
THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
IN 1976, THERE WERE JUST UNDER 17 000 BEDS IN GOVERNMENT AND SUBVENTED HOSPITALS. BY THE END OF THIS YEAR THERE WILL BE OVER 22 000 AND THIS FIGURE IS PROJECTED TO RISE TO OVER 27 000 BY THE END OF 1990, + SIR EDWARD SAID.
THE GOVERNMENT WAS PRESSING ON WITH THE HOSPITAL BUILDING PROGRAMME, HE SAID, WORK ON THE TUEN MUM AND THE EASTERN HOSPITALS WAS ON SCHEDULE AND THE SAME APPLIED TO THE EXTENSIONS TO THE QUEEN MARY, UNITED CHRISTIAN, YAN CHAI, AND POK 01 HOSPITALS.
REFERRING TO THE REPORT BY OVERSEAS CONSULTANTS ON THE MANAGEMENT AND ORGANISATION OF HOSPITAL SERVICES, PUBLISHED IN MARCH, SIR EDWARD SAID AN INTERNAL WORK ING GROUP WAS NOW EXAMINING THE RECOMMENDATIONS, AND THE IR FEASIBILITY AND RESOURCE IMPLICATIONS.
+ON THE WHOLE, DISTRICT BOARD AND PROFESSIONAL BODIES SUPPORT THE FORMATION OF A HOSPITAL AUTHORITY, PROVIDED THE GOVERNMENT DOES NOT REDUCE ITS COMMITMENT TO FINANCING MEDICAL SERVICES WHICH ARE KNOWN TO BE EXPENSIVE, HE SAID.
+CONCERN HAS BEEN EXPRESSED, HOWEVER, ABOUT THE REPERCUSSIONS OF DISESTABLISHING STAFF WORK ING IN GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS AND WITH REGARD TO THE POSITION OF SUBVENTED HOSPITALS WITHIN THE HOSPITAL AUTHORITY, IF IT WERE TO BE ESTABLISHED. THERE HAS ALSO BEEN CONCERN ABOUT THE IMPLIED SEPARATION OF HOSPITALS FROM OTHER HEALTH SERVICES.+
ON MEDICAL EDUCATION, SIR EDWARD SAID A WORKING PARTY ON POSTGRADUATE MEDICAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING HAD BEEN FORMED EARLIER THIS MONTH, TO EXAIMINE THE NEEDS, FORMAT AND STANDARDS FOR POSTGRADUATE MEDICAL EDUCATION. IT WOULD ALSO ADVISE ON WHETHER A BODY SHOULD BE ESTABLISHED TO ACCREDIT THE TRAINING PROGRAMMES.
THE WORK ING PARTY HAD BEEN ASKED TO SUBMIT ITS REPORT WITHIN TWO YEARS, THE GOVERNOR ADDED.
TURNING TO MENTAL HEALTH, SIR EDWARD SAID MAJOR CHANGES TO THE MENTAL HEALTH ORDINANCE WOULD BE PROPOSED IN A BILL WHICH EXPECTED TO BE INTRODUCED THIS SESSION.
+ THE BILL IS THE PRODUCT OF SOME FOUR YEARS OF CAREFUL STUDY AND EXTENSIVE CONSULTATION. THE AMENDMENTS PROPOSED WILL PROVIDE A SOUND LEGAL FRAMEWORK WITHIN WHICH TO IMPROVE THE TREATMENT AND AFTERCARE OF THE MENTALLY ILL, HE SAID.