XN000022-1974-07-17 — Page 4

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VEÐRISDAY, JULY 17, 1974

HE EMPHASISED TWO POINTS :

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K NOT ONLY WOULD DEVELOPMENTS BE KEPT UNDER CONSTANT REVIEW, BUT THE GOVERNMENT WOULD. ALSO PROCEED AS RAPIDLY AS IT COULD TO IMPLEMENT ALL THE PROPOSALS IN THE WHITE PAPER, +HAVING REGARD TO THE AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS AND THE OVERALL NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.+

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WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROJECTS IN THE WHITE PAPER, THERE WOULD BE A STEADY IMPROVEMENT IN THE MEDICAL FACILITIES AVAILABLE TO RESIDENTS.

HOSPITAL BEDS

THE WHITE PAPER, DR. CHOA SAID, CONSIDERED IN DETAIL FUTURE · DEVELOPMENTS UNDER HEADS SUCH AS HOSPITALS, CLINICS, REGIONALISATION, FEES FOR PATIENTS IN THE GENERAL WARDS OF HOSPITALS IN THE REGIONALISATION SCHEME, THE SUPPLY OF NURSES, A SCHOOL DENTAL CARE SERVICE AND A DENTAL SCHOOL, AND THE HEALTH SERVICE.

THE WHITE PAPER ACCEPTED THE MEDICAL DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATION OF A GENERAL STANDARD OF 5.5 HOSPITAL BEDS PER 1,000 OF THE POPULATION BY THE END OF 1982, ALTHOUGH IT FELT ACHIEVEMENT OF THE TARGET DESIRABLE FOR LONG-TERM PLANNING -- WOULD +EXCEED THE ABILITY OF THE GOVERNMENT TO BUILD, FINANCE, AND STAFF THE INSTITUTIONS REQUIRED.

THE WHITE PAPER ALSO ACCEPTED THE RECOMMENDATION THAT FOUR HOSPITALS IN SHA TIN, IN TUEN MUN, IN EAST KOWLOON AND IN SHAU KEI WAN ON HONG KONG ISLAND -- BE BUILT IN THE NEXT DECADE, BUT THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY WOULD BE BUILT WOULD REFLECT +THE

IMPORTANCE WHICH THE GOVERNMENT ATTACHED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF PROPER MEDICAL FACILITIES IN THE NEW TOWNS, AND THROUGH THEM, THE NEW TERRITORIES.+

THE SHA TIN HOSPITAL WOULD BE A REGIONAL HOSPITAL WITH 1,200 BEDS SERVING RESIDENTS IN THE EASTERN SECTION OF THE NEW TERRITORIES. IT WOULD BE DEVELOPED AS A TEACHING HOSPITAL TO PROVIDE CLINICAL TEACHING FACILITIES FOR THE NEW MEDICAL SCHOOL TO BE ESTABLISHED AT THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG, AND WOULD BE READY BEFORE 1984.

THE TUEN MUN HOSPITAL WOULD BE A 'DISTRICT HOSPITAL OF 1,200 BEDS SERYING RESIDENTS IN THE WESTERN SECTION OF THE NEW TERRITORIES. IT WOULD ALSO BE READY BEFORE 1984.

THE SHAU KEI WAN PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL, ORIGINALLY PLANNED FOR 1,000 BEDS, WOULD NOW BE REDUCED TO 500 BEDS ON EXPERT ADVICE FOLLOWING PUBLICATION OF THE +GREEN+ PAPER. THE OTHER 500 BEDS ' FOR PSYCHIATRIC PATIENTS WOULD BE INCORPORATED IN OTHER HOSPITALS AND CLINICS.

ATTI RIHARD

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