XN000022-1982-11-01 — Page 8

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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 1982

+THUS A WIDE RANGE OF BOTH CURATIVE AND PREVENTIVE SERVICES WILL BE PROVIDED FOR THE PEOPLE IN THE REGION AND EACH TYPE OF SERVICE WILL IN ITS OWN WAY CONTRIBUTE TO THE BETTERMENT OF HEALTH AMONG THE PEOPLE,+ MR BARNES SAID.

MR BARNES ALSO DEALT WITH CRITICISM THAT PUBLIC FUNDS WERE BEING USED TO EXTEND FACILITIES AT QUEEN MARY HOSPITAL AND EXISTING HOSPITAL SERVICES IN THE WAN CHAI DISTRICT, AT THE EXPENSE OF THE EASTERN HOSPITAL PROJECT.

HE POINTED OUT THAT GRADUATES AT THE MEDICAL SCHOOL AT HONG KONG UNIVERSITY ARE AT PRESENT REGISTRABLE WITH THE GENERAL MEDICAL COUNCIL IN THE UNITED KINGDOM.

IN ORDER TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS FOR REGISTRATION WITH THE COUNCIL IT WAS ESSENTIAL TO MAINTAIN AN ACCEPTABLE STANDARD REGARDING TEACHING FACILITIES, AND THE GMC HAD RECOMMENDED AN IMPROVEMENT IN STANDARDS AND PROVISION OF FACILITIES FOLLOWING A VISIT BY REPRESENTATIVES IN APRIL, 1980.

+ IT WOULD BE TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE AND THE CONSEQUENCES DISASTROUS IF THE GMC DECIDED AGAINST FURTHER REGISTRATION OF THE HONG KONG MBBS DEGREE FOR FAILING TO MEET ITS RECOGNISED STANDARDS, + MR BARNES SAID.

HE ALSO POINTED TO THE STEADY INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF

THE PATIENTS BEING TREATED AT QUEEN MARY HOSPITAL OVER THE YEARS. RESULT WAS THAT EXISTING FACILITIES HAD PROVED INADEQUATE TO MEET DEMAND AND THERE WAS NOW OVERCROWDING IN THE WARDS.

MR BARNES ALSO CORRECTED THE MISCONCEPTION THAT THE PROPOSAL TO BUILD A DISTRICT HOSPITAL AT EASTERN HAD BEEN SUBJECT TO DELAY.

THE SHAU KEI WAN SITE NOW EARMARKED FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT HOSPITAL WAS FIRST CONSIDERED IN THE LATE 50S AS A POSSIBLE SITE FOR A TERRITORY-WIDE INFECTIOUS DISEASES HOSPITAL, BUT THE IDEA WAS LATER ABANDONED AND THE SITE RESERVED FOR MEDICAL PURPOSES.

THE NEXT PROPOSAL WAS FOR A PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL ON THE SITE,

BUT THIS PLAN WAS ALSO ABANDONED.

DURING THIS TIME, MR BARNES EMPHASISED, THE SITE WAS NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE LOCAL GENERAL MEDICAL FACILITIES FOR EASTERN HONG KONG AND THE PROPOSAL FOR THE DISTRICT HOSPITAL WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME UNTIL 1982.

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