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Data on intensive care units
Following is a question by Dr the Hon Huang Chen-ya and a written reply by the Secretary for Health and Welfare, Mrs Katherine Fok, in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):
Question:
Is the Government aware of the following data in respect of intensive care units (general and specialist services) in public hospitals:
(a)
the respective number of beds in each of these units and the number of patients admitted into these units in each of the past three years;
(b)
the establishment and strength of medical practitioners and nursing staff in each of these units respectively;
(c)
the year of service of the electronic monitoring system in each of these units, and
(d)
which of these units are not provided with separate officers and storerooms?
Reply:
The number of general intensive care beds in the last two years and the staffing position of these units as at end of March 1996 are summarised at Annex A. Similar information on other types of intensive care beds such as those in coronary care units, neonatal care units, special care baby units and paediatric intensive care units is not readily available and is being collated. Since the computer system in the Hospital Authority captures statistics covering general as well as other types of intensive care beds, the total number of patients admitted into all these units is provided at Annex B.
The staffing level of intensive care units will vary according to the service scope, delineated role and mix of facilities available at individual hospitals. While the expected life span of electronic monitoring equipment is seven to 10 years, most of such equipment being used at the intensive care units of public hospitals have been in service for less than seven years. The need for new and replacement monitoring equipment will be reviewed by each hospital in the context of its annual planning. All public hospitals with designated intensive care units are provided with separate offices, storerooms or storage facilities.