XN000022-1995-12-07 — Page 8

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Department of Health further extends performance pledges

To further provide quality service to the public, the Department of Health recently has launched the final stage of its performance pledges.

Among the latest service units which join the pledges are TB and Chest Service, Social Hygiene Service, Child Assessment Service, Special Preventive Programme for AIDS and Hepatitis B, Pharmaceutical Service, Student Health Service, School Dental Care Service, Occupational Health Service and Hygiene Division.

A spokesman for the department today (Thursday) said: "The department has a huge interface with the public. In 1994, for example, we had over 11 million encounters with members of the community through services at our over 270 service units.

"As a service department, we place great emphasis on the provision of quality service."

He pointed out that the Department of Health had embarked on a Performance Pledge Programme since December 1992.

Up to now, the majority of the department's 105 general out-patient clinics and maternal and child health centres have been included in the Programme and pledged to provide efficient service, quality customer/patient service and comfortable environment to users.

"The department is encouraged that the pledges have gone down well with staff and customers alike and considers that the time has come to fully extend performance pledges to all of its service units," the spokesman said.

Some of the common pledges for all the centres and clinics are individual medical record, patient privacy and confidentiality of patient information, labelling of dispensed drugs and provision of health education materials.

To improve communication with the users, all staff of the service units will wear name badges. The enquiry and communication procedures will be clearly displayed and there will be an officer designated to handle problems related to services provided.