20
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1993
BY 1997, AN ADDITIONAL 461 ACUTE BEDS AND DAY PLACES FOR ELDERLY PATIENTS WILL BE PROVIDED TO MEET DEMAND IN FULL.
ALREADY THERE ARE 5,400 PEOPLE WAITING FOR INFIRMARY PLACES.
ON THE INFIRMARY SHORTFALL, THE GOVERNOR SAID BY WOULD BE 7,800 ELDERLY PEOPLE REQUIRING SOME FORM OF MEDICAL AND NURSING CARE.
1997 THERE
RESIDENTIAL
BEDS TO
"BUT ON PRESENT PLANS, WE WILL HAVE ONLY 1,200 EXTRA COPE WITH THEM. THAT IS A PROBLEM THAT WILL GO FROM BAD ΤΟ WORSE UNLESS WE ACT DECISIVELY NOW."
THE ANSWER, HE BELIEVES, IS TO DEVELOP AS RAPIDLY AS POSSIBLE A NETWORK OF NURSING HOMES WITH MEDICAL AND NURSING FACILITIES.
THESE HOMES COULD THEN CARE FOR ELDERLY PATIENTS WHO WOULD OTHERWISE HAVE TO REMAIN IN HOSPITAL OR IN AN INFIRMARY.
MR PATTEN SAID THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE WAS DRAWING UP PLANS FOR AN INITIAL SEVEN NURSING HOMES PROVIDING 1,400 BEDS AT A CAPITAL COST OF ABOUT $800 MILLION AND AN ANNUAL RECURRENT COST OF $150 MILLION.
"WE PLAN TO HAVE THEM IN OPERATION BY 1997. HOW TO FILL THE REMAINING SHORTFALL WILL BE AN URGENT PRIORITY FOR THE NEW WORKING GROUP."
NEXT YEAR, SPECIALIST MEDICAL TEAMS WILL PROVIDE HEALTH CARE, ASSESSMENT AND REHABILITATION SERVICES FOR A TOTAL OF 55,700 ELDERLY PEOPLE LIVING IN THE COMMUNITY.
THE GOVERNMENT HAD ALSO BACKED THE DEVELOPMENT OF HOME HELP TEAMS TO ASSIST OLD PEOPLE TO CONTINUE TO LEAD INDEPENDENT LIVES OR TO REMAIN WITH THEIR FAMILIES.
A TOTAL OF 6,500 ELDERLY PEOPLE WILL BENEFIT FROM THIS SERVICE NEXT YEAR.
THE GOVERNOR SAID HE HAD ASKED THE NEW CHAIRMAN OF THE HOUSING TO SEE WHAT COULD BE DONE TO PROVIDE MORE ACCOMMODATION DESIGNED TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE ELDERLY AND THEIR
AUTHORITY SPECIALLY
FAMILIES.
HE HOPED THAT THE AUTHORITY COULD COME FORWARD RAPIDLY WITH SPECIFIC PROPOSALS:
ΤΟ CLEAR THE BACKLOG OF AROUND 4,000 ELDERLY SINGLE PROPLE ON THE WAITING LIST BY 1997;
TO GIVE PRIORITY TO THE ELDERLY WHO APPLY FOR PUBLIC HOUSING FROM NOW ON; AND
ΤΟ TACKLE URGENTLY THE MUCH LARGER PROBLEM OF SOME 27,000 ELDERLY MEN AND WOMEN WHO ARE NOT ON THE WAITING LIST AT ALL BUT WHO HAVE ALL BUT RESIGNED THEMSELVES ΤΟ SUB-STANDARD ACCOMMODATION.
THERE WILL