XN000022-1980-05-19 — Page 2

MONDAY, MAY 19, 1980

HONG KONG ABREAST WITH PSYCHIATRIC TREATMENT TREND

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HONG KONG IS KEEPING ABREAST WITH THE WORLD-WIDE TREND OF TREATING PSYCHIATRIC PATIENTS OUTSIDE MENTAL HOSPITALS, THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, DR K.L. THONG, SAID TODAY.

SPEAKING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE REGIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON +PRIORITIES IN PSYCHIATRY TODAY+, ORGANISED BY THE WORLD PSYCHIATRIC ASSOCIATION, HE SAID THIS APPROACH HAD MANY ADVANTAGES OVER THE CONVENTIONAL MÉTHOD OF PUTTING PATIENTS IN MENTAL

INSTITUTIONS.

FOR INSTANCE, HE SAID, THE HARMFUL EFFECTS OF INSTITUTIONISATION CAN BE AVOIDED AND THE STIGMA ATTACHED TO MENTAL ILLNESS MINIMISED. FURTHERMORE IT IS MORE ECONOMICAL.

DR THONG TOLD THE DELEGATES THAT THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAD FOR A LONG TIME TAKEN STEPS IN THE MOVEMENT OF COMMUNITY PSYCHIATRY.

IN HONG KONG, AS EARLY AS IN 1961 THE FIRST DAY-HOSPITAL WAS FOUNDED. THREE YEARS LATER, THE FIRST HALF-WAY HOUSE WAS ESTABLISHED. THEN THE SETTING UP OF PSYCHIATRIC UNITS IN GENERAL HOSPITALS BEGAN IN 1972.

AS A RESULT OF HONG KONG'S ACHIEVEMENT IN THIS FIELD, SAID DR THONG, MORE THAN 90 PER CENT OF THE 30 000 PATIENTS AT PRESENT RECEIVE SPECIALIST PSYCHIATRIC CARE OUTSIDE MENTAL HOSPITALS.

IN ORDER TO MEET THE NEED FOR PSYCHIATRIC BEDS, THE 1 300-BED SOUTH KWAI CHUNG HOSPITAL, FORMERLY KNOWN AS THE PSYCHIATRIC WING OF THE PRINCESS MARGARET HOSPITAL HAS BEEN BUILT AND WILL BE OPENED LATER THIS YEAR.

BY THE END OF THIS DECADE ANOTHER 1 700 PSYCHIATRIC BEDS WILL BE ADDED AS PART OF THE DEVELOPMENT OR EXTENSION PROGRAMME FOR FIVE NEW AND THREE EXISTING GENERAL HOSPITALS. AT THE SAME TIME, 300 DAY HOSPITAL PLACES AND SIX PSYCHIATRIC OUTPATIENT CLINICS WILL BE BUILT IN THE NEXT SEVEN YEARS.

DR THONG WENT ON TO SAY THAT THE CARE OF OLD PEOPLE WITH MENTAL DISORDER WOULD BE A SERIOUS PROBLEM TO THE HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES OF ALL DEVELOPED COUNTRIES IN THE REMAINING DECADES OF THE CENTURY.

IN THE UNITED KINGDOM, HE SAID, PATIENTS AGED 65 AND OVER CONSTITUTE 40 PER CENT OF THE PSYCHIATRIC IN-PATIENTS WHEREAS IN HONG KONG, POPULATION OF THAT AGE GROUP AT PRESENT ONLY OCCUPY NINE PER CENT OF THE PSYCHIATRIC BEDS.

HOWEVER, HE ENVISAGED THAT PSYCHOGERIATRIC CARE WILL BE A SUBJECT OF GREAT IMPORTANCE TO HONG KONG IN THE YEARS TO COME.

WITH HIGHER