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Working group to explore measures to further strengthen mental health services
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     The Working Group on Mental Health Services chaired by the Secretary for Food and Health, Dr York Chow, met today (May 26) to discuss possible measures to further strengthen mental health services.

     After discussion, the Hospital Authority (HA) will set up a committee to review its management and follow-up of mental patients, including the liaison with other service providers with reference to the recent incident involving a mental patient in Kwai Shing East Estate.

     The Review Committee, to be chaired by the Chairman of the Hospital Governing Committee of Castle Peak Hospital and President of the Open University of Hong Kong, Prof John Leong, will make suggestions on improvements to community support services for such patients within two months. Its membership consists of a mix of stakeholders, including representatives from two non-governmental organisations, New Life Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association and Richmond Fellowship. The Review Committee will also invite views from patient groups on how to improve services to mental patients. Members of the Review Committee comprise the following:

Dr Yip Ka-chee, Consultant Psychiatrist and Chief of Service, Department of Psychiatry, Kowloon Hospital;
Dr Eva Dunn, Consultant Psychiatrist and Chief of Service, Department of Psychiatry, Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital;
Dr Law Chun-bon, Clinical Coordinator (Quality and Safety), Kowloon West Cluster;
Mrs Helen Kwok, Chief Social Work Officer (Rehabilitation and Medical Social Services), Social Welfare Department;  
Miss Sania Yau, Director, New Life Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association; and
Dr Fung Cheung Tim, Director, Richmond Fellowship.

     A spokesman for the Food and Health Bureau said: "The recent incidents involving mental patients have called for additional measures to strengthen the support and services for mental patients.

     "At today's meeting, we are exploring ways to help strengthen mental health services, including the coordination of various community support services and follow-up on patients. These can be taken forward at different stages."

     The Working Group noted that in the current financial year, the Government has provided additional funding of over $100 million to the HA for launching two new programmes to strengthen the support for two major groups of mental patients.

     For persons with severe mental illness, the HA has piloted the Case Management Programme to provide these patients with intensive, continuous and personalised support. As for persons with common mental disorders, the HA has set up Common Mental Disorder Clinics to provide them with more timely assessment and consultation services and will introduce an Integrated Mental Health Programme later this year to engage the primary care services in supporting these patients. The HA will also expand the use of new psychiatric drugs with proven effectiveness on patients under suitable clinical conditions.

     The Working Group on Mental Health Services also noted that the Social Welfare Department will expand the service model of the Integrated Community Centres for Mental Wellness across the territory in 2010-11. The department will also strengthen the manpower of these centres to provide comprehensive and accessible services to those in need. Additional funding allocation of $70 million has been provided to the Social Welfare Department for implementation of the initiative.

     The Working Group on Mental Health Services is chaired by the Secretary for Food and Health and comprises professionals, service providers and academics in the mental health field as well as government representatives.

Ends/Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Issued at HKT 17:04

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