XN000022-1992-02-19 — Page 21

19

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1992

GIVEN

HE SAID IF THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT (FSD) WAS ADVANCE WARNING, AN AMBULANCE COULD BE MADE READY AT THE POINT OF ENTRY TO RECEIVE THE PATIENT.

ON AVERAGE, THE TIME TAKEN TO TRANSPORT PATIENTS FROM THE BORDER, AIRPORT, HELIPADS OR FERRY PIERS TO THE ACCIDENT AND EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT OF THE NEAREST PUBLIC HOSPITAL WAS FROM 10 TO 20 MINUTES, DEPENDING ON POINT OF ENTRY.

OF

THE SECRETARY SAID NO RECORD HAD BEEN KEPT OF THE NUMBER CASES REQUIRING EMERGENCY TRANSFERS TO HOSPITALS FROM IMMIGRATION CONTROL POINTS.

"HOWEVER, I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ASCERTAIN THAT, SINCE OCTOBER 1991, A TOTAL OF 105 CASES INVOLVING 112 PATIENTS WERE CONVEYED BY FSD AMBULANCES FROM THE BORDER ΤΟ VARIOUS HOSPITALS. NO SIMILAR STATISTICS ARE AVAILABLE FOR OTHER POINTS OF ENTRY," HE SAID.

MR ASPREY SAID THE EXISTING ARRANGEMENTS WERE SATISFACTORY AND IMPROVEMENTS WERE NOT CONSIDERED NECESSARY.

SECOND CLINIC PLANNED FOR TSEUNG KWAN O

*

THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, MRS ELIZABETH WONG, INFORMED THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY) THAT THE PROVISION OF ONE GOVERNMENT CLINIC FOR TSEUNG KWAN O, WHICH HAS A POPULATION 108,000, IS CONSISTENT WITH THE GUIDELINES STIPULATED IN THE HONG KONG PLANNING STANDARD OF ONE CLINIC FOR EVERY 100,000 POPULATION.

IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON ANDREW WONG, MRS WONG SAID:

"IN DETERMINING THE LEVEL OF MEDICAL SERVICES FOR A PARTICULAR AND DISTRICT OR AREA, DUE ACCOUNT IS GIVEN TO THE DEMOGRAPHIC PATTERN SIZE OF POPULATION, THE AVAILABILITY OF ALTERNATIVE MEDICAL SERVICES

THE VOLUNTARY AND PRIVATE SECTORS, THE

OF ACCESSIBILITY

SUCH THE UTILISATION OF EXISTING FACILITIES AND AVAILABILITY

FROM SERVICES, RESOURCES.

OF

SHE SAID THE REQUIREMENT FOR ADDITIONAL MEDICAL FACILITIES TSEUNG KWAN O WAS CONSTANTLY MONITORED.

IN

AT PRESENT, TSEUNG KWAN O IS ALSO SERVED BY THE UNITED HOSPITAL IN KWUN TONG AND THE PRINCE OF WALES HOSPITAL IN

CHRISTIAN SHA TIN,

ΤΟ

CATER FOR ANTICIPATED INCREASE

THE

COMPLETION

IN POPULATION IN A SECOND GOVERNMENT CLINIC IS BEING PLANNED FOR IN OCTOBER 1996.

DISTRICT,

"THIS

IS WELL AHEAD OF THE GROWTH OF THE POPULATION IN TSEUNG KWAN O TO 200,000 IN 1999, MRS WONG ADDED.

*T

0

/20