TNAG-1733-FCO40-2446-Minutes-and-Hansards-of-the-Legislative-Council-of-Hong-Kong-1988 — Page 41

appointment can be given.

It is

not

possible,

5

In critical cases, clearly

I think, to state any

target date to cover all specialties and all types and all

severities, of ailment.

MRS. CHOW: Does the Government accept that the present length of waiting

time, both in average terms and in maximum terms, is not

acceptable? And if Government does accept that it is

unacceptably long, would there be some kind of plan to

try and shorten the average or the maximum in the interim

before the two new clinics are completed? In other words,

could some kind of target be set up, as suggested by

Mr. HO, that they need to be shortened because they are

unacceptably long at the moment?

SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE:

Sir, I think, as I

said earlier, the director feels that the waiting times

are certainly not ideal and

should be improved, but

he does not see the present situation as a crisis. There

are plans to expand hospital services generally. New

hospitals, of course, very often include specialist clinics

in addition to the specific ones that I referred to.

we have plans to improve the situation.

have

I/referred

So

MR. CHEONG-LEEN: Sir, specifically in the case of

paediatrics, which involves children, what is the average