XN000022-1975-02-16 — Page 1

HK 香港政府 GIS 新聞處

DAILY INFORMATION BULLETIN

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1975.

THE OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY SERVICE 700,000 SEPARATE TREATMENTS IN 1974

A TOTAL OF 13,694 PATIENTS RECEIVED NEARLY 700,000 SEPARATE TREATMENTS AT 11 OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY UNITS ATTACHED TO GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS AND CLINICS IN 1974. OF THE, 11,906 WERE NEW CASES.

AS THE DEMAND FOR OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY IS GROWING STEADILY, THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS PROCEEDING WITH PLANS TO STRENGTHEN THIS SERVICE, AND IT IS NOW INTENDED, FUNDS PERMITTING, TO INCLUDE AN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY UNIT IN EVERÝ NEW GOVERNMENT HOSPITAL AND POLYCLINIC TO DE DUILT IN THE NEXT 10 YEARS.

THE HISTORY OF OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY IN HONG KONG SHOWS THAT THE FIRST OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST WAS APPOINTED IN 1953, AND THIS SOLITARY PIONEER, MISS J.N. HOPKING, WAS ORGINALLY ON TEMPORARY TERMS.

MISS L.P. MARTIN NOW HEADS THE OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY SERVICE AS SUPERINTENDENT. SHE IS ASSISTED BY A STAFF OF 20. INCLUDING OFFICERS RECRUITED FROM ABROAD AND SCHOLARSHIP GRADUATES RETURNING FROM DRITAIN, DUT SHE FEELS THAT THE TOTAL IS NOT ENTIRELY ADEQUATE FOR AN EXPANDING WORKLOAD.

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY IS USED IN THE TREATMENT OF PHYSICAL AND PSYCHIATRIC CONDITIONS. TREATMENT VARIES WIDELY, DEPENDING ON INDIVIDUAL NEEDS.

IN GENERAL, PATIENTS MAY DE ASKED TO ENGAGE IN ANY ONE OF A NUMBER OF ACTIVITIES SUCH AS HAND-WORK, COOKING, CLERICAL HORK, AND RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES.

THE AIM IS TO HELP THEN ATTAIN MAXIMUM PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL RECOVERY SO THAT THEY CAN AGAIN CONTR I DUTE CONSTRUCTIVELY TO THE COMMUNITY.

MISS MARTIN SAYS & OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY IS CONCERNED WITH THE PATIENT AS A WHOLE, NOT MERELY HIS INJURY. CONSIDERATION IS GIVEN TO AGE, SEX, SOCIAL BACKGROUND, JOB REQUIREMENTS, AND EDUCATIONAL LEVEL.

→AN OFFICE HORKER AND A LABOURER ARE NOT KEPT THERAPEUTICALLY OCCUPIED WITH THE SAME ACTIVITY. THE LADOURER COULD BE DORED AND DIS INTERESTED WITH BANGING ON A TYPEWRITER, AND THE CLERK COULD FEEL AN INJURY TO HIS PRIDE IF ASKED TO USE A HAMMER.

THE RESULT IS THAT. IN FACT, THIS SORT OF CONGENIAL AND SYMPATHETIC TREATMENT DÕES VERY OFTEN ENABLE PATIENTS TO RETURN NONE THE WORSE TO THEIR PREVIOUS JOBS.+

Issued by Government Information Services, Beaconsfield Has Hong Kong. Tel: 5-233191

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