XN000022-1994-10-05 — Page 31

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BETTER CARE FOR THE SICK

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1994

THE GOVERNMENT WILL INCREASE HOSPITAL FACILITIES, INCREASE THE NUMBER OF NURSES AND PROVIDE THEM WITH BETTER TRAINING IN MEETING THE COMMUNITY'S DEMAND FOR EXCELLENCE IN HEALTH CARE.

THIS WAS STATED BY THE GOVERNOR, THE RT HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN, IN HIS ANNUAL POLICY ADDRESS TO LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

IN HIS SPEECH, MR PATTEN OUTLINED THE PLANS FOR IMPROVEMENTS IN HEALTH CARE FOR THE COMING YEARS. THESE INCLUDED:

* AN ADDITIONAL 950 HOSPITAL BEDS THIS YEAR

RECURRENT COST OF $619 MILLION.

0.

AT AN ANNUAL

PUTTING FORWARD A PROPOSAL NEXT YEAR FOR A NEW 400-BED HOSPITAL AT TSEUNG KWAN

THIS WOULD PROVIDE HIGHER STANDARDS OF CARE FOR RESIDENTS OF THE RAPIDLY-DEVELOPING SOUTHEAST NEW TERRITORIES.

PROVIDING AN EXTRA 500 NURSES NEXT YEAR FOR HOSPITALS AND CLINICS (IN ADDITION TO REPLACING THOSE WHO LEAVE); SEEKING WAYS TO INCREASE THE ATTENTION THEY CAN DEVOTE TO THEIR PATIENTS BY RELIEVING THEM OF NON-PROFESSIONAL DUTIES.

IMPROVING THE PROFESSIONAL TRAINING PROVIDED FOR 2,400 STUDENT NURSES. THEIR WORK SCHEDULES WOULD BE REORGANISED TO GIVE THEM 22 PER CENT MORE TIME FOR THEIR PROFESSIONAL STUDIES.

MR PATTEN POINTED OUT THAT PUBLIC HOSPITALS WOULD TREAT 770,000 IN-PATIENTS THIS YEAR AND PROVIDE 3.9 MILLION CONSULTATIONS AT THE GENERAL OUT-PATIENT CLINICS.

SPECIALIST CLINICS WOULD ALSO PROVIDE SOME 5.8 MILLION CONSULTATIONS FOR OUT-PATIENTS, HE ADDED.

MR PATTEN NOTED THAT EXCELLENCE IN HEALTH CARE MEANT GOING BEYOND THE PROVISION OF HOSPITAL BEDS AND HIGHLY-QUALIFIED STAFF.

HE SAID: "IT ALSO INVOLVES DEVELOPING NEW PROGRAMMES FOR THE GROUPS WHO NEED SPECIAL CARE TO REDUCE THEIR SUFFERING AND TO COPE WITH THEIR ILLNESSES.

*

'NEXT YEAR, WE WILL GIVE A NEW PRIORITY TO THE

THE CHRONICALLY-ILL AND THE TERMINALLY-ILL."

CRITICALLY-ILL,

MR PATTEN SAID THE 1994 POLICY COMMITMENTS SET OUT SEVEN SPECIFIC UNDERTAKINGS ΤΟ IMPROVE BOTH THE STANDARD OF MEDICAL TREATMENT THEY RECEIVE AND THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE.

*

NEXT YEAR, THE GOVERNMENT WOULD EXPAND DIALYSIS FACILITIES TO TREAT AN EXTRA 100 PATIENTS A YEAR. AS A RESULT, THE COMBINED SERVICES OF THE HOSPITAL AUTHORITY, VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR WILL BE SUFFICIENT MEET IN FULL THE CURRENT PROJECTED DEMAND.

TO

*THE GOVERNMENT