XN000022-1986-04-16 — Page 15

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16, 1986

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STEPS TAKEN TO ALLEVIATE PRESSURE ON BEDS

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UNTIL MORE INFIRMARIES AND CARE AND ATTENTION HOMES ARE BUILT, THE GOVERNMENT ACCEPTS THAT THERE WILL BE A CONTINUING NEED TO RETAIN IN PUBLIC HOSPITALS MANY PATIENTS WHO COULD OTHERWISE BE TRANSFERRED TO SUCH INSTITUTIONS, THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, THE HON JOHN CHAMBERS, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

REPLYING TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON SELINA CHOW, MR CHAMBERS SAID THAT ACCORDING TO A SURVEY CONDUCTED IN 1983, THE LENGTH OF STAY OF PATIENTS IN PUBLIC HOSPITALS WHO COULD BE CARED FOR ELSEWHERE RANGED FROM TWO WEEKS TO THREE YEARS, WITH AN AVERAGE OF 310 DAYS.

+THE MEASURES BEING TAKEN TO ALLEVIATE THIS PROBLEM INCLUDE THE TRANSFER OF SUITABLE PATIENTS FROM ACUTE HOSPITALS, WHERE THERE IS OVERCROWDING, TO CONVALESCENT AND NON-ACUTE DISTRICT HOSPITALS, THE PROVISION OF HOME NURSING THROUGH THE COMMUNITY NURSING SERVICE AND THE PLACEMENT OF SOME PATIENTS IN CARE AND ATTENTION HOMES AND HOMES FOR THE AGED, HE ADDED.

BILL IN FINAL DRAFTING STAGE

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A BILL WHICH SEEKS TO AMEND THE MENTAL HEALTH ORDINANCE TO PROVIDE FOR A SYSTEM OF GUARDIANSHIP FOR MENTALLY HANDICAPPED PERSONS AGED OVER 18 IS NOW IN THE FINAL DRAFTING STAGE, THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER, THE HON NEIL HENDERSON, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

MR HENDERSON REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY DR THE HON HENRIETTA IP SAID IT WAS HOPED THAT THE BILL WOULD BE INTRODUCED INTO THE COUNCIL BEFORE THE END OF THIS YEAR,

HE SAID IT HAD BEEN INTENDED TO INTRODUCE THE LEGISLATIVE AMENDMENTS IN 1984 THROUGH RELATIVELY STRAIGHTFORWARD PROVISIONS.

HOWEVER, IT LATER BECAME APPARENT THAT THE COMPLICATED NATURE OF A NUMBER OF OTHER MORE SUBSTANTIAL AMENDMENTS NECESSARY AS A RESULT OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE WORKING GROUP OF EX-MENTAL PATIENTS MEANT THAT THE ORIGINAL TIME FRAME COULD NOT BE ADHERED TO.

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