XN000022-1980-11-25 — Page 5

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1980

GOVERNMENT DOCTORS WANT CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISMS

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A SENIOR GOVERNMENT DOCTOR HAS CALLED ON MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO VOICE CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISMS TO IMPROVE THE SERVICE AND NOT TO HURL MALICIOUS ACCUSATIONS AT THE HARD-PRESSED MEDICAL STAFF.

FRIVOLOUS COMPLAINTS AGAINST DOCTORS WILL ONLY DRIVE THEM OUT OF THE GOVERNMENT SERVICE AND IN THE END IT IS THE PUBLIC WHO WILL SUFFER, DR K.H. LO, CONSULTANT SURGEON AT PRINCESS MARGARET HOSPITAL, TOLD THE LIONS CLUB OF THE NEW TERRITORIES THIS EVENING.

SPEAKING ON THE USE OF PROFESSIONAL CONSULTANCY SERVICES DR LO SAID THE GOVERNMENT MEDICAL SERVICE IS NOT PERFECT AND THERE IS ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT.

BUT HE POINTED OUT THAT COMPARED WITH OTHER COUNTRIES, THE MEDICAL SERVICE IN HONG KONG IS UNIQUE.

IT OFFERS A PRACTICALLY FREE SERVICE AND THE STANDARD OF THE SERVICE IS COMPARABLE TO THAT IN THE DEVELOPED COUNTRIES, HE SAID.

THE HIGHER TRAINING IN EVERY SPECIALTY IS RECOGNISED BY FAMOUS MEDICAL CENTRES IN THE COMMONWEALTH, THE COMMON MARKET COUNTRIES AND IN THE UNITED STATES, HE ADDED.

AS FOR QUANTITY, DR LO SAID THE GOVERNMENT HAS PROVIDED SERVICES WHICH ARE +ÖVERSTRETCHED BY THE UNDULY LARGE STRAIN+.

+YOU SHOULD NOT ASK FOR SHARK'S FIN AND SEA FOOD FOR EACH MEAL BY GIVING YOUR WIFE $10 DAILY MEAL EXPENSES,+ HE QUIPPED.

HE SAID THE STRAIN ON THE SERVICES WAS REFLECTED BY OUTPATIENT ATTENDANCES, WHICH CAME TO MORE THAN 13 MILLION IN 1979.

IN ORDER TO FURTHER IMPROVE THE SERVICE, SAID DR LO, THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD CONTINUE TO KEEP AN OPEN MIND AND THE PUBLIC SHOULD VOICE CONSTRUCTIVE OPINION AND NOT MALICIOUS ACCUSATIONS.

+AN OPEN-MIND GOVERNMENT WILL ALWAYS ACCEPT CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISMS WHICH IN TURN LEAD TO AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE SERVICE, HE SAID.

HE ASKED THE PUBLIC TO SHOW SYMPATHY AND GIVE ENCOURAGEMENT TO THE MEDICAL OFFICERS WHO WORK QUIETLY LIKE A +WORKING BEE+, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO ARE CONSTANTLY WORKING OVERTIME WITHOÚT COMPENSATION,

DR LO ALSO URGED THE PUBLIC NOT TO ABUSE THE CASUALTY SERVICE WHICH IS MEANT FOR EMERGENCIES AND ACCIDENTS.

PATIENTS WITH MINOR AILMENTS ATTENDING CASUALTY WILL ONLY CAUSE SERIOUS DELAYS IN THE TREATMENT OF EMERGENCY CASES, AND VERY OFTEN THE PATIENTS THEMSELVES MAY ALSO BE KEPT WAITING UNDULY AS DOCTORS WILL NATURALLY GIVE PRIORITY TO MORE URGENT CASES, HE SAID.

+LIFE OF THE EMERGENCY CASES IS IN YOUR HAND. DO NOT USE THE CASUALTY DEPARTMENT AS A GENERAL CLINIC, HE STRESSED.

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