TNAG-0507-FCO40-572-Development-of-medical-and-health-services-in-Hong-Kong-1974 — Page 221

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5

Time-table for establishing a medical school at CUHK

17.

The factors determining the time-table for a Chinese University Medical School were therefore examined. First, there is some space now available in the Chinese University science departments for intitial teaching in parts of the pre-clinical subjects (which are Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry, and Pharmacology), but substantial new building will be needed at the beginning for Anatomy, and for part of the rest. A suitable site is available on the campus adjoining the Science Centre. Planning and construction of what is necessary can be completed in 4 years or less.

18.

Second a hospital of 1200 beds at Shatin is already recommended by the Medical Development Advisory Committee and will be needed for the population of the area whether associated with a medical school or not. The Medical Development Advisory Committee also refers to the possible provision of a polyclinic in Shatin from 1978 onwards. The Project Manager Shatin New Town Development has advised that the area should have a capacity of nearly 500,000 and probably a population of 400,000 by 1983. In that case a new hospital and a new polyclinic will be needed in Shatin by the early 1980's.

19.

For teaching purposes a hospital has to be larger than one for service purposes only, with a special disposition of extra accommodation. This can take a long time to plan starting from the beginning, but the plans of the nearly completed Princess Margaret Hospital have proved to be capable of adaptation to the needs of a teaching hospital by simple additions without fundamental re-drawing. The medical members of the Sub-committee have satisfied themselves on this, and it materially shortens the time-table. The Principal Government Architect considers that construction could begin in about 2 to 2 years from the start of planning, but this would be subject to early recruitment of staff for this work. Three sites in Shatin have been examined and whichever is finally chosen is expected to be available and ready for building by late 1976 or early 1977. Three years for building and one for commissioning would enable the hospital to receive clinical students in 1980 or 1981 and these would graduate in 1983 or 1984.

20.

The Medical Development Advisory Committee had stated a requirement for about 100 additional doctors a year in the public and private sectors by 1982-83. The Sub-committee discussed the urgency of this date with the Chairman and some members of the Committee. The Committee's ten-year development programme runs to the end of 1982 because the projections were made on a 10-year basis, but in practice if hospitals in it are not completed by that time the demand for additional doctors in the public sector will be less until they are completed.

/21.

G. F. 323

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