XN000022-1979-09-01 — Page 4

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1979

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+ARRANGEMENTS WILL BE MADE FOR HIM TO RECEIVE VOCATIONAL TRAINING AFTER HE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED WITH AN ARTIFICIAL LEG IF NECESSARY. WE ALSO WORK CLOSELY WITH THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT AND OTHER VOLUNTARY WELFARE AGENCIES IN RESPECT OF JOB PLACEMENTS,+ MISS CHAN SAID.

+THE CASE, HOWEVER, IS NOT YET FINISHED, SHE SAID. +MEDICAL SOCIAL WORKERS WILL ALSÓ ADVISE ON HOW TO CLAIM COMPENSATION FOR INJURIES UNDER THE WORKMEN'S COMPENSATION SCHEME AND THE TRAFFIC ACCIDENT VICTIMS ASSISTANCE SCHEME.+

THE CASES HANDLED BY THE MEDICAL SOCIAL SERVICE MAY COME AS REFERRALS FROM MEDICAL AND HEALTH STAFF IN CLINICS AND HOSPITALS, OR EVEN FROM ACCOUNTING STAFF IN THESE INSTITUTIONS IN CASES WHEN FÉES CANNOT BE PAID BY DESTITUTE FAMILIES.

OTHER CASES MAY BE FROM REFERRALS BY THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT OR OTHER WELFARE AGENCIES. PATIENTS AND FAMILY MEMBERS CAN ALSO APPROACH THE MEDICAL SOCIAL WORKERS FOR SERVICE DIRECTLY. THE MEDICAL SOCIAL WORKERS ARE ALWAYS HAPPY TO OFFER THEIR SERVICES TO ANY PATIENT IN NEED.

+MEDICAL SOCIAL WORK CASES MAY BE OF A SHORT-TERM OR A LONG-TERM BASIS DEPENDING ON ITS NATURE - SOME FILES MAY BE CLOSED AS SOON AS THE PATIENT LEAVES THE HOSPITAL, WHILE THOSE INVOLVING DISEASE OF A CHRONIC OR PROTRACTED NATURE ARE THE LONG-TERM ONES, SHE

EXPLAINED.

CASES MAY BE RE-ACTIVATED AT ANY TIME AS THE NEED ARISES.

THE IMPORTANT ROLE PLAYED BY THE MEDICAL SOCIAL SERVICE IS REFLECTED BY THE GROWING NUMBER OF CASES IN 1978. A TOTAL OF 70 000 CASES WERE HANDLED, AN INCREASE OF 25 PER CENT OVER THE PREVIOUS YEAR.

SHE SAID THE INCREASE MAY BE ATTRIBUTED TO INCREASE IN POPULATION= INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF TRAFFIC AND INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS- THE PRESSING PROBLEMS ON AGED PEOPLE CHANGES IN DISEASE PATTERNS MORE CASES OF CANCER AND MORE PEOPLE SUFFERING FROM STROKE OR HEART DISEASE- AND MORE PEOPLE SEEKING WESTERN MEDICAL TREATMENT.

+THE GREATER PRESSURE IN DAILY LIFE WHICH HAS RESULTED IN THE GROWING NUMBER OF MENTAL ILLNESS IS ALSO A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR, SHE POINTED OUT.

THE MEDICAL SOCIAL SERVICE ALSO PROVIDES SPECIALISED SERVICES IN THE FIELD OF MENTAL HEALTH, TUBERCULOSIS, SKIN DISEASE AND NARCOTICS.

THE WORK DEALING WITH NARCOTICS IS THE LATEST ADDED TO THE SERVICE, INVOLVING PEOPLE SEEKING DETOXIFICATION UNDER THE METHADONE TREATMENT SCHEME.

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