XN000022-1975-10-06 — Page 2

-

MONDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1975

NEW WING OF CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OPENED

*******

LADY MACLEHOSE TODAY OFFICIALLY OPENED THE NEW FIVE-STOREY WING OF THE DUCHESS OF KENT CHILDREN'S ORTHOPAEDIC HOSPITAL AND CONVALESCENT HOME AT SANDY BAY.

IN A BRIEF ADDRESS, LADY MACLEHOSE EMPHASISED THE IMPORTANCE OF SPECIALIST TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION AS A FOLLOW-UP TO SKILLFUL OPERATIONS AND NOTED THAT THE NEW BUILDING WAS ADMIRABLY SUITED FOR THIS PURPOSE.

AN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY THE NEW WING HOUSES TWO DEPARTMENTS DEPARTMENT AND A LARGE ORTHOPAEDIC APPLIANCE DEPARTMENT WHICH INCORPORATES A 'HALO PELVIC SECTION AS WELL AS PROVIDE ACCOMMODATION FOR DOCTORS, THERAPISTS AND NURSES.

THE OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY DEPARTMENT ON THE FIRST FLOOR IS EQUIPPED WITH A LARGE TEACHING AND PLAY AREA AS WELL AS WITH KITCHEN AND BATHROOMS.

HERE CHILDREN WILL BE TAUGHT TO BECOME INDEPENDENT AND ADEPT AT LOOKING AFTER THEMSELVES AND WILL DE TAUGHT SKILLS AND HOBBIES SUCH AS DRESSMAKING, WOODWORK AND POTTERY.

THE ORTHOPAEDIC DEPARTMENT IS ALSO HOUSED ON THE FIRST FLOOR WITH FACILITIES TO MAKE APPLIANCES WHICH ARE AS IMPORTANT FOR TREATMENT AS SURGERY.

LADY MACLEHOSE PAID TRICUTE TO THE SOCIETY FOR THE RELIEF OF DISABLED CHILDREN AND SAID ITS WORK, IN CO-OPERATION WITH THE GOVERNMENT, PROVIDED AN EXCELLENT EXAMPLE OF WHAT COULD BE ACHIEVED TO HELP UNFORTUNATE YOUNG PEOPLE SUFFERING FROM ORTHOPAEDIC CONDITIONS.

FOLLOWING IS THE FULL TEXT OF LADY MACLEHOSE'S SPEECH:

+IT GIVES ME VERY GREAT PLEASURE TO BE HERE THIS AFTERNOON FOR THE OPENING OF THE NEW EXTENSION OF WHAT I ALWAYS REFER TO AS +SANDY BAY+.

+OVER THE YEARS THE NAME OF THIS HOSPITAL SEEMS TO EXTEND AS DOES THE HOSPITAL ITSELF.

+NEARLY TWENTY YEARS AGO THE CONVALESCENT HOME WAS BUILT TO CARE FOR CHILDREN SUFFERING FROM POLIO AND T.B. OF THE BONES. AS LIVING CONDITIONS IN HONG KONG HAVE IMPROVED THE NEED TO PROVIDE CARE FOR THESE CASES HAS ACTUALLY DECREASED. HOWEVER, THERE ARE MANY OTHER ORTHOPAEDIC CONDITIONS IN CHILDREN WHICH REQUIRE EXPERT AND SPECIAL TREATMENT.

I

THE WORK OF THE