XN000022-1980-10-05 — Page 2

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SUNDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1980

CASUALTY SERVICE TO BE EXTENDED TO MORE HOSPITALS

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THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS STRIVING VIGOROUSLY TO EXPAND ITS CASUALTY SERVICE IN ORDER TO COPE WITH THE TREMENDOUS PRESSURE BEING EXERTED BY THE EVER-INCREASING POPULATION ON THIS SERVICE IN ALL REGIONAL HOSPITALS.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT SAID MEASURES TO STRENGTHEN THIS SERVICE WERE TWO-PRONGED TO INCORPORATE A CASUALTY DEPARTMENT IN EVERY NEW HOSPITAL AND TO EXTEND THE SERVICE IN EXISTING ONES.

SHATIN AND TUEN MUN HOSPITALS WILL EACH BE EQUIPPED WITH FULL CASUALTY SERVICE WHEN THEY BEGIN OPERATION IN 1982 AND 1985 RESPECTIVELY.

THREE OTHER NEW HOSPITALS, IN SHAU KEI WAN, TAI PO AND EAST KOWLOON WILL ALSO PROVIDE CASUALTY SERVICE TOWARDS THE LATTER PART OF THE 1980'S.

MEANWHILE, CONCRETE PLANS ARE IN THE PIPELINE TO EXPAND THE EXISTING CASUALTY DEPARTMENTS ON HONG KONG ISLAND, QUEEN MARY HOSPITAL WILL HAVE AN EXTENDED CASUALTY DEPARTMENT IN ITS REDEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME, AND ADDED SPACE FOR THE CASUALTY WARD OF TANG SHIU KIN HOSPITAL IS EARMARKED IN THE NEW ANNEXE OVER THE EXISTING CAR PARK.

IN THE CASE OF GOVERNMENT ASSISTED HOSPITALS, CARITAS WILL SHORTLY BEGIN TO OPERATE CASUALTY SERVICE ON A LIMITED BASIS. POK OI AND YAN CHAI HOSPITALS WILL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE ROUND-THE-CLOCK SERVICE WHEN THEIR EXPANSION PROGRAMMES ARE COMPLETED BY 1984.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID: +OVER THE YEARS CASUALTY ATTENDANCE FIGURES HAVE SHOWN A STARTLING UPWARD TREND. IN THE LAST DECADE, CASUALTY ATTENDANCE ALMOST TRIPLED, FROM LESS THAN 340 000 IN 1969 TO 880 000 LAST YEAR.+

ON AVERAGE, OVER 2 400 PATIENTS ARE TREATED DAILY IN CASUALTY UNITS, OF WHICH 66 PER CENT ARE DEALT WITH IN THE FOUR MAJOR GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS. QUEEN ELIZABETH HOSPITAL ALONE TAKES ON A LOAD OF ABOUT 700 PATIENTS PER DAY.

THE SPOKESMAN POINTED OUT THAT THE HEAVY WORKLOAD OF THE CASUALTY UNIT IS PARTLY DUE TO ABUSE BY THE GENERAL PUBLIC.

+MANY PEOPLE DO NOT SEEM TO REALISE THAT CASUALTY SERVICE IS SET UP FOR TREATING EMERGENCY CASES. IT IS OFTEN CONFUSED WITH THE GENERAL OUTPATIENT SERVICES PROVIDED IN GOVERNMENT CLINICS,+ HE SAID.

STATISTICS FOR THE PAST TEN YEARS SHOW THAT ABOUT ONE THIRD OF THE CASES AT CASUALTY DEPARTMENTS HAD ONLY MINOR AILMENTS.

AS A REMEDIAL MEASURE TO RECTIFY THE SITUATION, A NURSING OFFICER IS USUALLY ASSIGNED TO A CASUALTY WARD TO SCREEN EVERY CASE THAT TURNS UP AND, ACCORDING TO THE DEGREE OF SEVERITY OF EACH CASE, TO DECIDE ON THE PRIORITY OF TREATMENT.

jeni

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