XN000022-1980-11-18 — Page 6

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 1980

PROMPT TREATMENT FOR MENTAL PATIENTS

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HONG KONG IS ONE OF ONLY A FEW PLACES IN THE WORLD WHICH PROVIDE A FULL-TIME PSYCHIATRIC OUT-PATIENT SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY.

THIS WAS STATED BY THE HEAD OF THE GOVERNMENT PSYCHIATRIC SERVICE, DR W.H. LO, IN A TALK TO THE ROTARY CLUB OF HONG KONG NORTHWEST TODAY.

DR LO POINTED OUT THAT THERE ARE AT PRESENT FIVE FULL-TIME PSYCHIATRIC CENTRES -- TWO ON HONG KONG ISLAND, TWO IN KOWLOON AND ONE IN THE NEW TERRITORIES - RUN BY A GROUP OF PERMANENT PSYCHIATRIC STAFF.

SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE ALMOST DAILY TO ANYONE WHO NEEDS THEM AND THE WAITING TIME FOR NEW APPOINTMENTS IS ONLY A MATTER OF DAYS, HE SAID.

ONCE THE PATIENT IS UNDER THE CARE OF THE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICE OF THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT, HE IS GIVEN FURTHER APPOINTMENTS BUT HE MAY ATTEND ANYTIME IF REQUIRED, HE ADDED.

DR LO SAID THAT IN HONG KONG WHEN ONE TALKS ABOUT MENTAL ILLNESS AND MENTAL PATIENTS ONE INVARIABLY THINKS OF CASTLE PEAK HOSPITAL AND NOTHING ELSE.

+THIS IS FAR FROM THE TRUE PICTURE BECAUSE THERE IS A LARGE VARIETY OF MENTAL ILLNESSES WITH VASTLY DIFFERENT OUTCOMES, + HE SAID.

HE EXPLAINED THAT EVEN IN SIMPLEST CLASSIFICATION THERE ARE MAJOR AND MINOR PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS REQUIRING DIFFERENT LEVELS OF TREATMENT.

THE MAJORITY OF PATIENTS SUFFER FROM MINOR PSYCHIATRIC ILLNESS WITH SUCH SYMPTOMS AS DESPONDENCE, ANXIOUS AGITATION, POOR CONCENTRATION, LOSS OF INTEREST, INSOMNIA AND LOSS OF APPETITE.

MOST OF THEM, ACCORDING TO DR LO, SEEK TREATMENT FROM PRIVATE PRACTITIONERS, THE GOVERNMENT PSYCHIATRIC OUT-PATIENT CLINICS AND EVEN HERBALISTS.

IN 1979, 27 000 PATIENTS ATTENDED THE GOVERNMENT PSYCHIATRIC OUT-PATIENT CLINICS REGULARLY BUT THE NUMBER OF PATIENTS RECEIVING IN-PATIENT TREATMENT IN THE SAME YEAR WAS ONLY 5 300.

DR LO SAID SURVEYS CONDUCTED IN MANY WELL-DEVELOPED COUNTRIES INDICATED THAT ONE OUT OF 10 PEOPLE HAD PSYCHIATRIC PROBLEM OR DISORDER OF ONE FORM OR ANOTHER.

/ALTHOUGH NG