XN000022-1979-10-31 — Page 2

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1979

MEDICAL REGIONAL ISATION ARRANGEMENTS NEED TO BE REVIEWED

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EXISTING MEDICAL REGIONALISATION ARRANGEMENTS ARE GIVING RISE TO A VICIOUS CIRCLE AND ARE RESULTING IN A STEADY DECLINE IN THE QUALITY OF OUR HOSPITAL SERVICES, DR. THE HON. HARRY FANG GAVE THIS WARNING AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

HE DISCLOSED THAT DURING THE SUMMER RECESS, UNOFFICIAL COUNCILLORS HAD VISITED 18 MAJOR HOSPITALS DIRECTLY ADMINISTERED OR SUBSIDISED BY THE GOVERNMENT. A FULL REPORT WITH THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS WOULD BE SUBMITTED TO THE GOVERNOR.

+OUR REGIONAL HOSPITALS ESPECIALLY THE GOVERNMENT-RUN QUEEN MARY AND QUEEN ELIZABETH HOSPITALS. ARE SEVERELY OVER- CROWDED, AND MUCH OF THEIR EQUIPMENT IS WORN OUT, INEFFICIENT AND OUTMODED.

+ON THE OTHER HAND, MANY OF THE GOVERNMENT SUBSIDISED DISTRICT HOSPITALS ARE POORLY UTILISED AS WELL AS INADEQUATELY EQUIPPED, AND ALMOST HALF EMPTY IF ONE DISCOUNTS THE LARGE NUMBER OF ELDERLY PERSONS WHO SHOULD EITHER RETURN HOME OR BE LOOKED AFTER IN LESS EXPENSIVE CARE AND ATTENTION HOMES,+ HE SAID.

HE EXPLAINED THAT THE VICIOUS CIRCLE STARTS WITH THE BASIC MISCONCEPTION THAT ALL SUBSIDISED OR DISTRICT HOSPITALS SHOULD NOT BE BETTER THAN OR AS WELL EQUIPPED OR STAFFED AS THE GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS. INDEED, IN PRACTICE THEY ARE TREATED AS BEING INFERIOR.+

CONSEQUENTLY PEOPLE FLOCK TO THE GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS so THAT THE NUMBER OF BEDS IN QUEEN MARY AND QUEEN ELIZABETH HOSPITALS, ORIGINALLY BUILT FOR 546 AND 1 338 PATIENTS, HAS BEEN INCREASED TO 1 164 AND 1 898 RESPECTIVELY, EXCLUDING THE CAMP BEDS OFTEN IN USE DURING BUSY PERIODS AND EMERGENCIES WHICH MAY RANGE FROM 50 TO 100.

THE INCREASE HAS NOT BEEN MATCHED BY A CORRESPONDING INCREASE IN STAFF AND FACILITIES, AND THE IMBALANCE IS THE MAIN CAUSE OF GROWING FRUSTRATION, DISSATISFACTION AND DISCONTENT AMONG STAFF AND PATIENTS.

TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE, DR. FANG CONTINUED, THE GOVERNMENT COMMISSIONS OR BORROWS BEDS IN SUBSIDISED OR DISTRICT HOSPITALS FOR THE TRANSFER OF CHRONIC AND POST-SURGERY PATIENTS. THESE PATIENTS ARE NOT THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THESE HOSPITALS BUT ARE LOOKED AFTER BY DOCTORS FROM THE GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS WHO, BECAUSE THEY ARE ALREADY OVERLOADED, CAN ONLY ATTEND TO THEM TWICE OR AT MOST THREE TIMES A WEEK.

+NATURALLY THE PATIENTS THEMSELVES ARE NOT SATISFIED, ESPECIALLY WHEN COMPLICATIONS ARISE. THEY IN TURN PUT THE BLAME ON THE SUBSIDISED HOSPITALS. THE END RESULT IS THAT THE SUBSIDISED HOSPITALS GET A BAD NAME, AND PATIENTS ARE RELUCTANT TO BE ADMITTED TO THESE HOSPITALS, HE SAID,

/IN HIS