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(ii) Home help teams

Home help teams subvented by the Social Welfare Department also provide escort service for people attending clinics who are in need of such service. Home help service is introduced to the public through social workers and the distribution of pamphlets.

(iii) Volunteer Workers Programme

In addition to existing volunteer services provided by community organizations, the Social Welfare Department has a pilot Volunteer Workers Programme which provides escort service for elderly people attending medical clinics who are in need of such service. At present, there are two such programmes, one in Wong Tai Sin and another in Sham Shui Po. The teams only serve these specific districts. Applicants have to be 60 years old or above. This service is introduced to the elderly through posters, pamphlets and promotion in multi- service centres for the elderly.

Statistics on attendance at clinics of the Department of Health or public hospitals do not identify whether the patient is an elderly singleton or a disabled singleton. Consequently, we do not have information on the number of such persons attending these clinics nor do we have information on these persons who were unable to attend due to the lack of escort services.

End

Mitigation measures implemented along Airport Railway

**

Following is a question by the Hon Lee Wing-tat and a written reply by the Secretary for Planning. Environment and Lands, Mr Bowen Leung, in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):

Question:

The Government plans to construct noise insulation facilities at the Tsing Yi Station of the Airport Railway (AR) with a view to reducing the noise nuisance caused to the residents of Cheung On Estate, but it does not have any plan to provide a total enclosure for this section of the AR. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council of the following: