X1000307-1953-54_Part01 — Page 6

Introduction,

1. GENERAL

1. During the year under review the administrative staff of the Department were much preoccupied with planning probleme and devoted much time to the planning of such major projects as a new 1200 bed hospital to be erected in Kowloon and a 500 bed mental hospital to be erected in the New Territories. Planning of other projects of lesser magnitude such as health centres for the New Territories was also undertaken and by the close of the year considerable progress had been made.

2+ The only major addition to departmental buildings was the completion of a large clinical building in the Wanchai district of Victoria to house the headquarters of the Tuberculosis Service together with a large tuberculosis clinic with attendant radio- logical facilities and also the dental and physiotherapy sub- departments. The building was completed just before the end of the year and, in fact, the services it houses were put into operation from the Ist April, 1964.

3. There was no slackening in the work of the Department. and, as was mentioned in the previous report, all sections continued to work under considerable pressure. Hospital admis- sions and clinic attendances again showed a general increase and accommodation in practically all cases was insufficient. Shortage of hospital beds continued to cause concern and substantial waiting lists were maintained not only for general beds but also for the specialities. In the maternity hospitals, and the maternity wards of the general hospitals, the shortage of accommodation continued to be a problem. It was only possible to retain patients in the available maternity beds for an average period of three days.

4. The major problem of tuberculosis remained and the work of the tuberculosiä service continued to increase throughout the year.

As is mentioned later in this report the number of

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