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The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
Regarding the services of the 18 Designated Clinics and the nine Special Assessment Centres, the Hospital Authority (HA) spokesperson provided the following updates today (September 29):
The 18 Designated Clinics today (as at 5pm) provided initial assessment to 1,898 patients. Patients who required further assessment and treatment were referred to the Special Assessment Centres (SAC). The nine SACs attended to 541 patients. A total of 16,915 attendances and 3,141 assessments have been reported at the Designated Clinics and SACs respectively since they began operation on September 23.
In preparation for possible higher service demand in view of the forthcoming extended holidays on the Mainland, the HA will extend the service hours of the 18 Designated Clinics. On the coming National Day holiday (Wednesday, October 1) and also this Saturday and Sunday (October 4 & 5), all 18 Designated Clinics will provide full day service from 9am to 5pm. The extended service hours will be closely monitored and reviewed in due course.
Members of the public are reminded that the Designated Clinics and SACs will be in operation for at least six months and as long as there is demand for the service. Parents therefore will not need to compete for an appointment if their children are asymptomatic.
Children who require a check-up should first be brought to the Designated Clinics for preliminary assessment. They will be referred to the SACs for follow-up assessment and treatment if clinically indicated. Children who could not be assessed at the Designated Clinics on the same day of attendance will be given the earliest possible appointment in the following days. In the coming three days, around 1,000 appointments have scheduled each day at the 18 Designated Clinics.
The HA would like to reiterate that the free screening service is a contingency arrangement with its prime focus on local children who have an "eligible person" status. Other patients will be referred to private health care providers to reserve adequate capacity for locals.
Ends/Monday, September 29, 2008
Issued at HKT 19:24
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