XN000022-1986-03-27 — Page 13

THURSDAY, MARCH 27, 1986

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AS FOR THE AGED, SHE WELCOMED THE SURVEY TO BE CARRIED OUT JOINTLY BY THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH AND SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENTS TO REAPPRAISE THE SITUATION CONCERNING CARE OF THE ELDERLY.

HOWEVER, SHE SAID IT WOULD BE APPRECIATED IF THE COUNCIL COULD BE GIVEN UPDATED INFORMATION REGARDING THE PROGRESS AND RESULT OF THE SURVEY AND BE INFORMED OF WHAT CO-ORDINATED ACTION THE TWO DEPARTMENTS WERE TAKING IN MEETING THE NEEDS OF THE ELDERLY.

REFERRING TO THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT, SHE SAID SHE HAD MISGIVINGS IN SIX AREAS.

ON WHAT SHE CONSIDERED + INEFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT+, DR IP CITED AS EXAMPLES HOSPITAL OVERCROWDING AND THE APPARENT NEED FOR MORE BEDS.

SHE SUGGESTED QUESTIONS SHOULD BE ASKED AS TO WHETHER PATIENTS BEING ADMITTED REALLY REQUIRED THIS IN THE FIRST PLACE, WERE THEY BEING ADMITTED TO THE RIGHT WARDS, AND HOW LONG SHOULD THEY STAY IN HOSPITAL,

+ THE DEPARTMENT MUST LOOK INTO THIS PROBLEM POSITIVLY AND OBJECTIVELY AS A POSITIVE STEP TOWARDS BETTER MANAGEMENT,+ SHE SAID.

DR IP SAID THE IMPROVED PROVISION OF COMMUNITY NURSING SERVICE, CARE AND ATTENTION HOMES, AND MEDICAL INFIRMARIES FOR THE AGED WOULD RELEASE 2 500 ACUTE BEDS NOW OCCUPIED BY ELDERLY PATIENTS WITH NO FURTHER MEDICAL PROBLEMS WHICH REQUIRED HOSPITAL ATTENTION.

SHE PROPOSED THAT HONG KONG SHOULD FOLLOW THE MORE ADVANCED COUNTRIES IN INTRODUCING AMBULATORY CARE.

RATHER THAN REPEATING THE MISTAKE OF EUROPEAN COUNTRIES IN BUILDING MORE HOSPITALS, SHE BELIEVED HONG KONG SHOULD TIGHTEN ITS CRITERIA FOR HOSPITAL ADMISSION/STAY AND AIM AT EARLY DISCHARGE FROM HOSPITAL.

+THIS TREND IS NOT ONLY FINANCIALLY ADVANTAGEOUS, BUT HEALTHIER PHYSICALLY, AS IT REDUCES THE CHANCE OF HOSPITAL CROSS-INFECTION, AND ALSO HEALTHIER PSYCHOLOGICALLY, WHEN THE ILL, PARTICULARLY THE CHRONICALLY ILL, RECOVER AMONG THEIR LOVED ONES AT HOME IN A PERSONAL ENVIRONMENT, SHE SAID.

ON THE DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS, DR IP COMMENTED THAT SOME EXISTING SERVICES MIGHT BE REDUNDANT OR HAVE ONLY A MARGINAL VALUE WHEREAS IN OTHER AREAS DEFICIENCIES WERE NOT BEING MET. SHE CITED THE SCHOOL MEDICAL SERVICE AS AN EXAMPLE OF A SCHEME THE NEED FOR WHICH HAD DECLINED.

/SHE SAID