The stand-
ards set
in 1964.
improvements in the standard of in-patient and out-patient services, particularly in the development and expansion of hospitals and clinics. Progress here was slower immediately following the war, when priority was given to preventive and control measures. With the rapid expansion of the population, additional hospitals and clinics have been developed to meet the standards proposed in 1964, but it is clear that, with an estimated population of 5.17 million by 1984 (on the medium projection), the movement to the new towns, the increasing demands for services and the capability of the medical and health service to meet those demands, new facilities must be provided to keep pace with requirements in the ten years ahead. It is therefore in this area of hospital and clinic provision that the main thrust of the proposals in this White Paper will be found, i.e. new facilities accessible to the main centres of population in line with the Government's plans for the expansion of the housing programme and the development of the
new towns.
1.5 As the needs of the community change and develop, it is incumbent on the Government to introduce new services. For example, the Government has recently started to participate directly in the provision of family planning services and to take a more active part in the treatment of drug addiction. In the future efforts will be made to promote consciousness in the com- munity of the importance of dental health, even though the introduction of a dental service on the lines of the medical service is impracticable at this stage.
1.6 The proposals are therefore designed to maintain and improve existing services and to consolidate and establish new services, in each case against the background of the growth of the population and the changing pattern of its distribution between the urban area and the New Territories.
CHAPTER 2
THE PRESENT POSITION
2.1 The White Paper on the Development of Medical Services in Hong Kong published in 1964, established what it then described as minimal ratios of provision necessary for augmented clinic and
2
hospital services to meet the most urgent medical and health needs. It stated that by 1972 the standards should be-
2.2
4.25 hospital beds per 1,000 population;
one standard urban clinic to 100,000 urban population; one standard rural clinic to 50,000 rural population; and one polyclinic for every 500,000 population.
beds.
By the end of 1972, the design capacity of hospitals in Hospital Hong Kong stood at 16,142 beds although 827 of the beds in Government hospitals are considered by the Director of Medical and Health Services to be below proper standards.* In addition, a further 1,245 temporary beds** have had to be provided (566 in Queen Elizabeth Hospital and 679 in Castle Peak Hospital). In all, therefore, there were in use at the end of 1972 a total of 17,387 hospital beds (a ratio of 4.26 beds per 1,000 population).
2.3 The Princess Margaret and the United Christian Hospitals will come into full commission during 1975. At that time, when the population is expected to be 4.34 million, there will be a total of 19,185 beds (4.42 beds per 1,000 population) if 1,984 temporary and substandard beds are retained.
2.4 The position may be summarized as follows:-
All institutions (1972) Planned additions
by 1975 Closures by 1975
All institutions (1975)
Design capacity (excluding temporary and substandard beds)
Temporary beds (4)
15,315 (3.76)
1,245
+ 2,493
-
607 (Note 2) 17,201 (3.97) 1,245 (Note 3)
Note: (1) The figures in brackets are bed/population ratios.
Closures are-
(a) Hay Ling Chau
(b) Sai Ying Pun
(c) Private maternity clinics
Substandard beds (4)
Total
827 17,387 (4.26)
88
739 19,185 (4.42)
540 (cases transferred to Princess
Margaret Hospital)
88 (building unsafe) 67
Total: 695
(3) There were, on average, during May 1974, 1,598 temporary beds in use, but it is assumed that with the opening of Princess Margaret Hospital the number of temporary beds will revert to the level at the end of 1972.
(4) For definitions of temporary and substandard beds see footnote.
* Substandard beds are beds in wards of old hospitals which must either be demolished
because of structural factors or extensively renovated.
** Temporary beds comprise additions of normal beds in wards and are for patients in These beds are necessary so long as the excess of the design canacity of the wards.
number of patients exceeds the design capacity of the wards. camp beds.
3
They do not include
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.