XN000022-1979-01-10 — Page 16

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 10, 1979

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+I THINK I CAN SAFELY STATE WITHOUT FEAR OF CONTRADICTION THAT THE GROWTH ACHIEVED IN ALL OUR SERVICES FOR OUR CHILDREN AND YOUTH IN RECENT YEARS IN THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH, LABOUR SOCIAL WELFARE, EDUCATION AS WELL AS RECREATION AND SPORTS FIELDS HAS BEEN PHENOMENAL,+ SAID MR. HO.

PLANS FOR THE COMING DECADE WERE EVEN MORE AMBITIOUS, HE

STATED.

REPLYING TO SOME OF THE POINTS RAISED BY MISS BENNETT, WHO TOOK THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES TO TASK, MR. HO SAID CLINICAL PAEDIATRIC SERVICES WERE ONLY ONE ASPECT OF THE TOTAL CHILD CARE FACILITIES IN HONG KONG AND THE PAEDIATRIC WARDS IN QUEEN MARY HOSPITAL WERE BUT ONE OF THE UNITS OF THE OVERALL PAEDIATRIC SERVICES.

+QUEEN MARY HOSPITAL WAS COMPLETED IN 1937 AND THE DEPARTMENT OF PAEDIATRICS ONLY ESTABLISHED IN THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG IN 1962. SINCE THEN THERE HAS BEEN CONTINUOUS GROWTH IN THE PAEDIATRIC SERVICES DESPITE THE RESTRICTED ACCOMMODATION AVAILABLE,+ HE SAID.

MR. HO SAID A FEASIBILITY STUDY WAS CURRENTLY UNDER WAY TO EXAMINE THE POSSIBLE RE-LOCATION OF CERTAIN FACILITIES AND THE BUILDING OF NEW ACCOMMODATION FOR THE HOSPITAL TO INCORPORATE UP-TO-DATE PAEDIATRIC WARDS.

MR. HO SAID: THE DETAILS OF THE PROPOSALS WILL BE PUT VERY SHORTLY TO THE MEDICAL DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR CONSIDERATION, AND IF ENDORSED, WILL BE PROCESSED FOR INCLUSION IN THE PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME.+

THE DESIRABILITY OF ALLOWING MOTHERS TO LIVE IN WITH THEIR YOUNG CHILDREN WHEREVER POSSIBLE, OR AT LEAST GIVING THEM UNRESTRICTED VISITING RIGHTS, WAS AGREED, PROVIDED IN THE OPINION OF THE ATTENDING PHYSICIAN THERE WERE NO PROFESSIONAL REASONS FOR A DECISION TO THE CONTRARY IN ANY INDIVIDUAL CASE.

SUITABLE OVERNIGHT FACILITIES FOR MOTHERS WERE BEING INCORPORATED IN THE PAEDIATRIC UNITS BEING PLANNED FOR SHA TIN HOSPITAL AND OTHER NEW DEVELOPMENTS.

ON SPECIALISED CHILDREN'S HOSPITALS, MR. HO SAID: +OUR POLICY AIM IS TO PROVIDE SPECIALIST UNITS IN GENERAL HOSPITALS ON A REGIONAL BASIS, AS IS THE TREND IN THE MORE ADVANCED COUNTRIES LIKE ENGLAND. IN THIS WAY RESOURCES, BOTH STAFFING AND EQUIPMENT, ARE BETTER UTILISED AND ALSO BROUGHT TO THE PUBLIC RATHER THAN HAVE THE PUBLIC SUFFER THE INCONVENIENCE OF ATTENDING ONE CENTRE FAR FROM THE IR HOMES.+

ON NURSE TO PATIENT RATIO, MR. HO SAID IT WOULD BE MISLEADING TO DRAW COMPARISONS WITH SELECTED PAEDIATRIC SERVICES IN THE UNITED KINGDOM AND WITH CHILD CARE SERVICES IN HONG KONG.

IT WAS NECESSARY TO CONSIDER ALL THE RELEVANT FACTORS, THE ACTUAL DUTIES OF NURSES, THE FUNCTIONS OF OTHER SUPPORTING STAFF AVAILABLE IN THE HOSPITALS AND THE DIFFERING ATTENTION REQUIREMENTS OF HEALTHY AND SICK CHILDREN, HE SAID.

/IT HAD.....