XN000022-1979-02-28 — Page 21

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1979

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$1,117 MILLION TO BE SPENT ON MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES

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ABOUT NINE PER CENT OF THE GOVERNMENT'S EXPENDITURE IN 1979-80, OR $1,117 MILLION, WILL BE SPENT ON MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, THE HON. PHILIP HADDON-CAVE, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

IN HIS BUDGET SPEECH, THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY SAID PRIORITY WOULD CONTINUE TO BE GIVEN TO THE STRENGTHENING OF A REGIONALISED

INFRA-STRUCTURE OF HOSPITALS AND CLINICS TO PROVIDE GENERAL AND SPECIALIST MEDICAL SERVICES TO ALL MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.

HE SAID A FIFTH REGIONAL HOSPITAL IN SHA TIN NOW UNDER CONSTRUCTION WHICH WILL ADMIT PATIENTS IN 1982, WOULD SERVE THE WHOLE OF THE EASTERN NEW TERRITORIES, INCLUDING SHA TIN NEW TOWN, AND WOULD ALSO PROVIDE CLINICAL TEACHING FACILITIES FOR THE NEW MEDICAL SCHOOL AT THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY.

THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY SAID THE DRAFT ESTIMATES PROVIDED FOR AN ADDITIONAL 449 HOSPITAL BEDS IN GOVERNMENT AND SUBVENTED HOSPITALS WHICH WOULD BRING THE TOTAL TO 17,966 BY MARCH 1980.

+MAJOR PROJECTS WHICH WILL PROVIDE MORE BEDS AND WHICH ARE EITHER ALREADY UNDER CONSTRUCTION OR WHICH WILL BEGIN DURING THE FINANCIAL YEAR INCLUDE, IN THE GOVERNMENT SECTOR, THE SHA TIN HOSPITAL AND POLYCLINIC, A PSYCHIATRIC WING TO THE PRINCESS MARGARET HOSPITAL AND AN EXTENSION AND IMPROVEMENTS TO THE FANL ING HOSPITAL.

+OTHER IMPORTANT PROJECTS IN THE PIPE-LINE INCLUDE AN URBAN CLINIC AT LEI MUK SHUE, AND, IN THE SUBVENTED SECTOR, A CARD 10- THORACIC CENTRE AT THE GRANTHAM HOSPITAL AND A CLINICAL PATHOLOGY BUILDING FOR KWONG WAH HOSPITAL, THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY SAID.

THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY ALSO NOTED THAT SUBVENTED HOSPITALS WERE PLAYING A VITAL ROLE IN RELEASING MUCH-NEEDED ACUTE BEDS IN THE MAIN REGIONAL HOSPITALS AND, TO REFLECT THE IR SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES, THE GOVERNMENT HAD, WHERE APPROPRIATE, BROUGHT HOSPITALS ON TO A FULL DEFICIENCY GRANT SUBSIDY.

+DUR ING 1978-79 THE YAN CHAI HOSPITAL IN TSUEN WAN AND THE CARITAS MEDICAL CENTRE IN KOWLOON CAME ON TO DEFICIENCY GRANTS AND THESE HOSPITALS WILL HELP TO RELIEVE PRESSURE ON THE PRINCESS MARGARET HOSPITAL AS WELL AS PROVIDE IMPROVED SERVICES TO THE IR LOCAL COMMUNITIES, THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY SAID.

AS A FURTHER MEASURE FOR THE BETTER UTILISATION OF HOSPITAL BEDS, HE SAID, THE COMMUNITY NURSING SERVICE SET UP ON AN EXPERIMENTAL BASIS IN 1976 WOULD BE EXPANDED TO COVER ALMOST ALL PARTS OF HONG KONG BY 1985.

+THIS SERVICE ENABLES CONVALESCENT PATIENTS TO COMPLETE THE IR TREATMENT AT HOME WITH THE HELP OF REGULAR VISITS FROM A TRAINED NURSE.

+ THE DRAFT ESTIMATES PROVIDE FOR THE NUMBER OF COMMUNITY NURSES TO EXPAND FROM THE PRESENT 33 TO 108 IN THE COMING YEAR,+ HE SAID.