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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 14, 1990

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COMPREHENSIVE STUDY OF SOCIAL WELFARE PROGRAMME AREAS

THE WORKING PARTY ON SOCIAL WELFARE POLICIES AND SERVICES, WHICH HAS BEEN TASKED WITH THE DRAFTING OF A NEW WHITE PAPER ON SOCIAL WELFARE, IS CURRENTLY CONDUCTING A COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION

OF ALL SOCIAL WELFARE PROGRAMIE AREAS INCLUDING SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY.

THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, THE HON ELIZABETH WONG, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL THIS TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON POON CHI-FAI, MRS WONG SAID IN ITS DELIBERATIONS THE WORKING PARTY WOULD TAKE FULL ACCOUNT OF THE EFFECT OF DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDS, INCLUDING THE PROJECTED INCREASE IN THE PROPORTION OF THE ELDERLY IN THE POPULATION.

"IN RECOGNITION OF THIS TREND AND OF THE GROWING IMPORTANCE OF ELDERLY SERVICES, A DEDICATED SUBCOMMITTEE HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED UNDER THE WORKING PARTY WHICH WILL REVIEW THE PROVISION OF SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY, INCLUDING CARE AND ATTENTION FACILITIES, SHE SAID.

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THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE SAID A COMBINATION OF ACCELERATING DEMAND AND IMPROVEMENTS TO THE PLANNING RATIO, TOGETHER WITH THE LONG LEAD TIME REQUIRED FOR PHYSICAL PROVISION, ACCOUNTED FOR THE CURRENT SHORTAGE OF CARE AND ATTENTION PLACES.

THERE WAS, FIRSTLY, THE RAPID ACCELERATION OF SUCH DEMAND IN RECENT YEARS.

REFERRING TO THE WHITE PAPER "SOCIAL WELFARE INTO PUBLISHED IN 1979, MRS WONG SAID A TARGET PROVISION OF FOR EVERY THOUSAND ELDERLY PERSONS (

(I.E. THOSE AGED 60 OR CONSIDERED SUFFICIENT TO MEET THE DEMAND IN THE LONG TERM.

THE 1980's" FOUR PLACES ABOVE) WAS

SINCE THAT TIME, THE PLANNING RATIO HAD BEEN REVIEWED ON TWO OCCASIONS, RESULTING IN A REVISION IN 1986 то FIVE PLACES PER THOUSAND ELDERLY PERSONS AND A FURTHER INCREASE IN 1988 TO EIGHT PLACES PER THOUSAND ELDERLY PERSONS.

"THESE RECENT IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PLANNING RATIO ARE CLEAR INDICATIONS OF THE SHARP INCREASE IN DEMAND FOR CARR AND ATTENTION PLACES IN RECENT YEARS, MRS WONG SAID.

It

SECONDLY, THE CURRENT SHORTAGE WAS ALSO DUE то THE LENGTHY LEAD TIME IN THE PROVISION OF CARE AND ATTENTION HOMES.

AS SUCH HOMES WERE MAJOR FACILITIES REQUIRING A MINIMUM LEAD TIME OF SEVERAL YEARS FOR SITE IDENTIFICATION, PLANNING, CONSTRUCTION AND FITTING-OUT, ANY IMPROVEMENT IN THE PLANNING RATIO THEREFORE TOOK A NUMBER OF YEARS TO IMPLEMENT IN TERMS OF PROVIDING NECESSARY ADDITIONAL PLACES.

/TO ADDRESS

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