WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 1992
16
"THE
DO
FIRST MAJOR IMPROVEMENT IS TO MAKE SURE THAT PATIENTS HAVE TO WAIT AN EXCESSIVE LENGTH OF TIME FOR TREATMENT, PARTICULARLY IN EMERGENCY CASES.
NOT
"NEXT YEAR, WE AIM TO REDUCE THE AVERAGE WAITING TIME FOR ACCIDENT AND EMERGENCY CASES IN PUBLIC HOSPITALS FROM ONE HOUR AT PRESENT TO LESS THAN 30 MINUTES.
"WE WILL ALSO CUT THE WAITING TIME AT GENERAL CLINICS FOR 300,000 PATIENTS SUFFERING FROM CHRONIC DISEASES BY GIVING THEM ADVANCE APPOINTMENTS.
"WHERE WE CANNOT ELIMINATE THE NEED TO WAIT, WE CAN AT LEAST MAKE THE EXPERIENCE MORE COMFORTABLE BY INSTALLING AIR-CONDITIONERS IN WAITING ROOMS, AND BY PROVIDING DRINKING FOUNTAINS AND BETTER EQUIPPED AND CLEANER TOILETS.
MR PATTEN ALSO SAID DOCTORS MUST HAVE ACCESS TO ACCURATE AND RELIABLE INFORMATION ON THEIR PATIENTS.
"MEDICAL RECORDS WILL BE STANDARDISED IN GENERAL CLINICS. WITHOUT THIS BASIC INFORMATION, WE CANNOT HOPE TO ACHIEVE HIGHER STANDARDS AND ENSURE CONTINUITY OF CARE.
PRESCRIBED
"AND PATIENTS NEED TO KNOW WHAT MEDICINES HAVE BEEN IF THEY ARE TO TAKE AN ACTIVE PART IN MANAGING THEIR OWN TREATMENT. ALL DRUGS PRESCRIBED AT GENERAL CLINICS ARE NOW LABELLED.
"THE NEXT STEP WILL BE TO EXTEND DRUG LABELLING TO ALL PUBLIC HOSPITALS AND SPECIALIST CLINICS,' HE SAID.
"
MR PATTEN SAID THESE MEASURES MIGHT NOT SOUND DRAMATIC BY THEMSELVES, BUT, OVERALL, THEY WOULD BRING ABOUT A MARKED AND VISIBLE IMPROVEMENT.
"THEY REFLECT OUR DETERMINATION TO INTRODUCE A MORE RESPONSIVE AND EFFICIENT SERVICE THROUGHOUT OUR HEALTH CARE SYSTEM.
"THEY
ALSO DEMONSTRATE THE STYLE OF MANAGEMENT WHICH HOSPITAL AUTHORITY IS SEEKING TO DEVELOP," HE ADDED.
THE
NEW
TARGETTING HEALTH NEEDS OF VULNERABLE GROUPS
NEW TARGETS NEED TO BE SET TO MEET THE SPECIAL HEALTH NEEDS OF SPECIFIC GROUPS WHO ARE PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE, WITH THE FOCUS BEING ON EARLY DETECTION AND TREATMENT.
IN
ADDITION, MORE WILL BE DONE IN PROVIDING FOR THE EFFECTIVE AND HUMANE TREATMENT OF MENTAL ILLNESS.
THE GOVERNOR, THE RT HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN, SAID THIS IN HIS POLICY ADDRESS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
/"WE MUST