TNAG-1363-FCO40-1809-Hong-Kong-Hansard-reports-and-minutes-of-the-meetings-of-the-1985 — Page 11

Supplementary to Question No. 5 in

the Legislative Council on 13.11.85

Mr. HUI Yin-fat Sir, in order to prevent further tragedies, could the

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Government inform this Council firstly when the code of practice will be ready

and secondly what action the Government will take if such a code of practice is not

followed ?

Secretary for Health and Welfare : - Sir, I would hope that the code of practice

should be ready within about three months. In the event that the voluntary code

was not followed this would be a very strong argument for enacting

legislation to control the private homes for the elderly and we would proceed

with that as speedily as possible.

Dr. Ip :

Sir, are all old age homes in Hong Kong registered with the Social

Welfare Department? If not, does the Government not consider this to be

administratively a first step towards introducing a code of practice ?

Secretary for Health and Welfare: - Sir, there is no legislation that requires

the legislation of old age homes and private old age homes are therefore not

formally registered although the Social Welfare Department has done considerable

research and does have what is believed to be a comprehensive list of these homes.

Mr. YEUNG Po-kwan : Sir, why was the code of practice not provided at an initial

stage to operators of the private homes for the elderly for their guidance ?

Secretary for Health and Welfare : Sir, the development of private homes for

the elderly is a very recent occurrence on any scale and it is only in the last

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year or so that this problem has really come to be recognised as a significant one.

Mrs. Fan - Sir, when paying liaison visits to these homes and offering advice

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and assistance to the operators, if such advice and assistance are not taken,

is there anything Government can do to ensure that at least a minimum standard is

satisfied ?

Secretary for Health and Welfare :

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Sir, as I've explained there is at present no

legislation which specifically applies to these homes. Of course if some other

legislation such as the Fire Safety Regulations which apply generally were infringed

there would be action that could be taken then otherwise it would not be possible

at this stage.