TNAG-0608-FCO40-756-Planning-paper-on-progress-made-on-social-security-in-Hong-K-1977 — Page 44

Present services and planned development

Chapter 5

MEDICAL TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION SERVICES

Specific objectives for development

5.2

Services for the mentally ill

Services for the

severely mentally

retarded

5.1 A wide range of medical treatment and rehabilitation services for the disabled already exists in Hong Kong. For the mentally ill, in addition to the Castle Peak Hospital, the Lai Chi Kok Hospital and psychiatric units in general hospitals for in-patients, a net- work of psychiatric day centres and clinics provide day and out-patient services throughout the territory. The psychiatric wing of Princess Margaret Hospital will be completed in 1979-80, increasing the number of psychiatric beds from 2,400 to 3,700. There are at present over 200 beds for severely mentally retarded patients; this number will increase to over 500 in 1978, on the completion of the extension of the Caritas Medical Centre, and to 700 in 1984, on the completion of the Tuen Mun Hospital. Treatment for acute physically disabled cases is provided in the major hospitals and specialist clinics; there are two out- patient rehabilitation centres on Hong Kong Island, one out-patient and one in-patient rehabilitation centres in Kowloon and a fourth out-patient rehabilitation centre in the West New Territories. Additional rehabilitation facilities are planned for East Kowloon, East New Territories and the Tuen Mun New Town.

There will, however, still be a shortage of beds for both psychiatric patients and for the severely mentally retarded. Taking account of projects being planned and of future demand, the objectives for the development of medical treatment and rehabilitation services for the disabled during the next decade will be:-

5.3

(a) to provide as comprehensively as practicable treatment and rehabilitation services in hospitals, day centres, out-patient clinics and half-way houses for the mentally ill;

(b) to provide additional services in hospitals, residential centres and day centres for

the severely mentally retarded;

(c) to provide additional intensive in-patient, day-patient and out-patient rehabilitation

programmes in rehabilitation centres; and

(d) to improve the training of medical and para-medical staff in rehabilitation.

The following measures will be taken to improve facilities for psychiatric patients:----

(a) the basis for estimating the number of psychiatric beds and places in day centres and half-way houses will be re-examined. It is likely that the existing methods of calculation are inadequate and a new basis for estimating the demand will have to be worked out. The rate of development of the psychiatric beds and places in day centres and half-way houses will also be reviewed. It may, for instance, be more practical to increase facilities in day centres and half-way houses at a faster rate than it is at present envisaged;

(b) additional psychiatric hospitals may have to be built and it may be necessary to in- crease the number of beds planned for the East Kowloon Hospital and the Shau Kei Wan Hospital. It might be advantageous to have small units of 60 to 200 psy- chiatric beds incorporated in the major general hospitals which are now being planned. By 1985-86, it is expected that the number of psychiatric beds will increase to 4,900 (Appendix 5); further demand will be met by the use of day centres and half-way houses;

(c) by 1986, 425 day hospital places will be made available, but more may be needed; (d) by 1986, twelve out-patient centres will be provided for psychiatric patients; and (e) by 1984, 386 places will be available in half-way houses for discharged psychiatric

patients.

5.4 There is a long waiting list at the Siu Lam Hospital; even with the foreseeable increase in the provision of beds in similar hospitals, the shortfall by 1984 will still be about some 330 beds. The use of places in day centres in public housing estates has been considered

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