ENG-1998 — Page 221

HEALTH

helps patients' social readjustment while educating them and their families on mental health. Three community psychiatric teams and nine psychogeriatric teams have been set up to provide designated care and rehabilitation programmes to psychiatric and psychogeriatric patients. Other complementary rehabilitative services run by government departments and non-government organisations include day-centres, half-way houses, long-stay care homes, vocational training, selective placement and social clubs.

Severely mentally handicapped persons requiring intensive nursing care and rehabilitation services are cared for at Tuen Mun Hospital (200 beds), Caritas Medical Centre (300 beds) and Siu Lam Hospital (300 beds). One outreach team has been established to provide services for early intervention.

Community Based Nursing Service

The Hospital Authority's Community Based Nursing Service provides post-discharge rehabilitative nursing care and treatment to the sick, the elderly infirm, the disabled, and the mentally ill through a network of 36 community nursing service centres and 12 community psychiatric nursing service offices. During the year, 39 700 patients were served and 503 300 home visits were made.

Port Health

The Port Health Office enforces measures in the Quarantine and Prevention of Disease Ordinance and the International Health Regulation to prevent the introduction of quarantinable diseases into Hong Kong by air, land and sea. The service regularly exchanges epidemiological information with neighbouring countries and the World Health Organisation. On July 6, the Airport Section of the Port Health Office was relocated to the new Hong Kong International Airport at Chek Lap Kok.

Medical Charges

Fees in public hospitals and clinics are heavily subsidised. Patients in general wards of public hospitals are charged $68 a day. This covers food, accommodation, tests, medicine and surgery or other treatment. Some private beds are provided at major hospitals with higher maintenance and treatment charges.

A consultation at a general out-patient clinic costs $37, while a specialist consultation costs $44 per session. Physiotherapy, occupational therapy and child assessment services cost $44 per session. Attendance at geriatric or psychiatric day centres and home visits by community nurses are $55 per session. Fees may be reduced or waived in cases of financial hardship.

In December 1998, consultants from the Harvard School of Public Health completed Hong Kong's first Domestic Health Account and submitted their draft consultancy report to the government, recommending changes to the health care financing and delivery system.

Smoking and Health

The Hong Kong Council on Smoking and Health is an independent statutory body, established in 1987 to acquire and disseminate information on the hazards of using tobacco products, and to advise the government on matters of smoking and health.

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