XN000022-1980-02-19 — Page 5

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1980

+ IF EVERYTHING WORKS ACCORDING TO PLAN, ONE OF THE TWO TUBES OF THE TUNNEL WILL BE OPENED FOR TWO-WAY TRAFFIC IN THE MIDDLE OF NEXT YEAR,+ THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

HE ADDED THAT THE ENTIRE PROJECT, COSTING $400 MILLION, WOULD BE FULLY OPERATIONAL BY THE END OF 1982 WHEN TRAVELLING TIME BETWEEN URBAN KOWLOON AND KWUN TONG WOULD BE REDUCED CONSIDERABLY.

COMMUNITY NURSES PLAYING GREATER ROLE

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THE GOVERNMENT HAS SET UP A COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAMME TO TRAIN 75 REGISTERED AND ENROLLED NURSES EACH YEAR AS COMMUNITY NURSES, WHO HAVE PLAYED AN INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT ROLE IN RENDERING MEDICAL AND HEALTH CARE TO THE SICK AND THE INFIRM.

THE NUMBER OF SICK PEOPLE THEY LOOK AFTER AT ANY ONE TIME HAS DOUBLED IN LESS THAN THREE YEARS. LAST DECEMBER, 794 PATIENTS WERE UNDER THEIR CARE COMPARED WITH 400 IN APRIL, 1977 WHEN THE GOVERNMENT BEGAN TO SUBSIDISE THE COMMUNITY NURSING SERVICE.

COMMENTING ON THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS, THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, DR J.K. CRAIG NOTED THAT THE 794 PATIENTS REPRESENTED THE FULL CAPACITY OF A SMALL HOSPITAL.

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COMMUNITY NURSING SERVICE IS EXTENSION OF CARE TO PATIENTS DISCHARGED FROM HOSPITALS AFTER THEIR ACUTE STAGE OF ILLNESS. PROVIDES EFFICIENT HEALTH CARE FOR THE SICK, THE DISABLED AND THE ELDERLY IN THEIR HOMES, WHEN THEY HAVE DIFFICULTY IN VISITING CLINICS OR HOSPITALS FOR FOLLOW-UP TREATMENT.

+THE SERVICE ALSO ENCOURAGES PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE IR OWN TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION WITH THE HELP OF THEIR FAMILIES, AS WELL AS TO PREVENT RELAPSE BY SUPPORTIVE CARE AND HEALTH EDUCATION,+ DR CRAIG SAID.

HE POINTED OUT THAT IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS, OVER 6 400 PATIENTS BENEFITED FROM THIS SERVICE, AND THE NURSES MADE OVER 68 000 HOME VISITS.

THE STANDARD FEE FOR EACH VISIT IS $5, AND SPECIALISED EQUIPMENT AND DRUGS ARE CHARGED AT COST PRICE. + IN CASE OF FINANCIAL NEED, FEES CAN BE REDUCED OR WAIVED, HE ADDED.

AT PRESENT SEVEN VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS JOIN HAND WITH THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT IN PROVIDING THE SERVICE.

IT ONLY COVERS PATIENTS LIVING IN THE URBAN AREAS AND DISTRICTS AROUND RENNIE'S MILL AND TSUEN WAN IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.

PLANS ARE IN THE PIPELINE TO EXTEND THE SERVICE TO THE NEW TERRITORIES NEW TOWNS,

DR CRAIG ANTICIPATED THAT WHEN THE SERVICE IS IN FULL SWING +IT WILL NOT ONLY BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN HOSPITALS AND HOMES, BUT ALSO HELP TO RELIEVE PRESSURE ON THE MUCH NEEDED HOSPITAL BEDS.+

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