XN000022-1977-03-29 — Page 2

TUESDAY, MARCH 29, 1977

MEDICAL AND HEALTH REGIONALISATION PLAN

TO BE IMPLEMENTED ON FRIDAY

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A MEDICAL AND HEALTH REGIONALISATION PLAN IS TO BE IMPLEMENTED ON FRIDAY (APRIL 1) TO IMPROVE FACILITIES AND STANDARDS OF MEDICAL CARE IN GENERAL AND TO RELIEVE OVERCROWDING AT THE MAJOR GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS IN PARTICULAR.

FOR ADMINISTRATIVE PURPOSES, MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES WILL BE DIVIDED INTO FOUR GEOGRAPHICAL REGIONS HONG KONG ISLAND,

EAST KOWLOON AND EAST NEW TERRITORIES, WEST KOWLOON, AND WEST NEW TERRITORIES. EACH REGION WILL BE SERVED BY A REGIONAL HOSPITAL, ONE OR MORE DISTRICT HOSPITALS AND A NUMBER OF SPECIALIST CLINICS AND GENERAL CLINICS.

A REGIONAL HOSPITAL IS A MAJOR ACUTE HOSPITAL EQUIPPED TO TREAT PATIENTS REQUIRING A HIGH LEVEL OF SPECIALIST CARE.

A DISTRICT HOSPITAL IS AN IMPORTANT LINK IN THE REGIONAL ISATION SCHEME. IT PROVIDES THE BASIC HOSPITAL SERVICES, REFERRING PATIENTS TO THE REGIONAL HOSPITAL FOR THE MORE SPECIALISED LEVEL OF TREATMENT AND RECEIVING PATIENTS BACK FROM THE REGIONAL HOSPITAL FOR THE LATER STAGES OF THEIR TREATMENT.

THIS TWO-WAY FLOW OF PATIENTS, EXPLAINED A SPOKESMAN FOR THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT, WOULD ENSURE THAT PATIENTS ARE GIVEN THE APPROPRIATE LEVEL OF HOSPITAL CARE WITHOUT OVERLOADING THE REGIONAL HOSPITALS.

+ THE OBJECT OF REGIONALISATION, THE SPOKESMAN SAID, IS TO MAKE THE BEST USE OF THE RESOURCES AND FACILITIES WITHIN BOTH THE GOVERNMENT AND SUBVENTED SECTORS THAT ARE AVAILABLE IN EACH REGICA AND TO CONCENTRATE EXPERTISE AND EXPERIENCE IN THE AREAS THAT NEED THEM MOST.+

THREE REGIONAL OFFICES WILL BE SET UP TO ADMINISTER, PLAN AND COORDINATE MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES IN EACH REGION,

THE SPOKESMAN SAID AS THE REGIONALISATION SCHEME INVOLVED SUBVENTED HOSPITALS, IT WAS NECESSARY TO INTRODUCE A UNIFORM SCALE OF HOSPITAL MAINTENANCE CHARGES FOR GENERAL WARD PATIENTS IN BOTH GOVERNMENT AND SUBVENTED HOSPITALS.

+THIS IS TO FACILITATE A MORE EVEN DISTRIBUTION OF PATIENTS BETWEEN THE TWO SYSTEMS OF HOSPITAL SERVICES, HE SAID.

AS FROM FRIDAY, A STANDARD FEE OF $5 PER DAY WOULD THEREFORE BE CHARGED BY GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS AND BY THOSE SUBVENTED HOSPITALS PARTICIPATING IN THE SCHEME, EXCEPT THE TUNG MAH GROUP OF HOSPITALS WHICH WOULD CONTINUE TO BE FREE.

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