XN000022-1986-10-29 — Page 55

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1986

MR POON HAD ASKED ABOUT RECRUITMENT OF PSYCHIATRISTS AND SUPPLY AND DEMAND OF HOSPITAL BEDS FOR MENTAL PATIENTS IN GOVERNMENT AND SUBVENTED HOSPITALS IN HONG KONG GENERALLY AND IN THE EAST KOWLOON REGION IN PARTICULAR.

MR CHAMBERS SAID THE PSYCHIATRIC SERVICE WAS NOT REGIONALISED AND THE REQUIREMENT AND PROVISION OF BEDS FOR THE MENTALLY-ILL WERE PLANNED ON A TERRITORY-WIDE BASIS.

+BASED ON A PLANNING RATIO OF 1 BED FOR EVERY 1 000 OF THE POPULATION, THE DEMAND FOR HOSPITAL BEDS FOR THE MENTALLY ILL IS NOW ESTIMATED TO BE 5 538 BEDS,+ HE SAID.

REFERRING TO THE EAST KOWLOON REGION, MR CHAMBERS SAID THERE WERE NOW 151 BEDS FOR MENTAL PATIENTS IN THE KOWLOON HOSPITALS AND 30 BEDS IN THE GOVERNMENT SUBVENTED UNITED CHRISTIAN HOSPITAL.

THE FUTURE PROVISION IN THIS REGION IS AS FOLLOWS:

YEAR

PROJECT

1991

UNITED CHRISTIAN HOSPITAL EXTENSION

1993

KOWLOON HOSPITAL EXTENSION

KOWLOON HOSPITAL REPROVISIONING

1995

EAST KOWLOON HOSPITAL

NO. OF BEDS

122

420

420

340

ON THE NUMBER OF PSYCHIATRISTS IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR MR CHAMBERS SAID THERE WERE 94 POSTS AT PRESENT, OF WHICH 87 WERE BEING FILLED.

+PYSCHIATRISTS ARE NOT RECRUITED SEPARATELY, BUT THROUGH RECRUITMENT EXERCISES FOR DOCTORS IN ALL SPECIALTIES WHICH ARE CONDUCTED AT REGULAR INTERVALS,

HE ADDED.

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