CO129-618-4 University of Hong Kong- conversion of Tung Wah Eastern Hospital into a teaching hospital 17-2-1949 - 27-9-1949 — Page 26

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ANNEXURE I.

39

The Chairman,

Tung Wah Hospital Advisory Committee, HONG KONG.

University of Hong Kong.

18th November, 1948.

Sir,

At the end of last year an approach was made by the University of Hong Kong to the Tung Wah Hospital Authorities regarding a proposal to develop the Tung Wah Eastern Hospital into a Teaching Hospital. At a joint meeting of the Advisory Board and of the Directors of the Tung Wah Hospitals held on 19th December, 1947, it was unanimously agreed: "that the proposal of the Hong Kong University Authorities to use the Tung Wah Eastern Hospital for the training of medical students be accepted in principle and that the discussion of details of the scheme be left to the Medical Committee of the Tung Wah Hospitals and the University Authorities".

Representatives of the University had an opportunity of meeting the new Board of Directors at a meeting in the Tung Wah Eastern Hospital about two months ago, when the proposal was further discussed. In view of the fact that the stage has now been reached when specific decisions are called for I. feel that it would be wise to clarify certain points that have been raised recently in the discussions that have taken place.

In the first place there is no desire on the part of the University to take over the Tung Wah Eastern Hospital · and divorce it from its present relationship. The University is anxious to cooperate with the Directors in working out an arrangement which is acceptable to both parties.

The

Some of the Directors are not clear as to why the University has made this approach. The reason is that, from September, 1949, onwards we shall have classes of students reaching the senior years of their training which are approximately double the size of the pre-war classes. training facilities in the queen Mary Hospital are therefore no longer adequate and we have been forced to look for additional hospital facilities elsewhere. We shall still need the facilities we possess at the Queen Mary Hospital, but we are anxious, in addition, to develop a similar arrangement at the Tung Wah Eastern Hospital.

One further misunderstanding which I should like to dispel is the fear that hospital patients might suffer under such an arrangement. On the contrary, the development of the hospital as a Teaching Hospital would inevitably result in a very considerable improvement in the standards of care offered to the patients. Facilities at present quite unavailable in the Tung Wah Eastern Hospital would become available for the patients and the change would only be for the better as far as the patients are concerned

The University has given careful consideration to the nature of the changes required in developing the Tung Wah Eastern Hospital into a Teaching Hospital, and they include:-

OUTPATIENT DEPARTMENT.

The present somewhat haphazard arrangements by which about 100 out-patients are seen daily, irrespective of the type of ailment from which they are suffering, would have to give place to a departmentalised organisation. There would have to be a Receiving Room, under the charge