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Following is a question by the Hon Gary Fan and a written reply by the Secretary for Food and Health, Dr Ko Wing-man, in the Legislative Council today (July 10):
Question:
A few years ago, the Hospital Authority (HA) consulted the Tai Po District Council (TPDC) on a proposal to build an integrated community medical centre (medical centre) in Tai Po for partial or full replacement of the two existing general out-patient clinics (i.e. the Tai Po Jockey Club General Out-patient Clinic and the Wong Siu Ching Family Medicine Centre) in the district. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(a) whether it knows the progress of HA in identifying sites for building the medical centre, and set out the various considerations, the sites considered and the assessment results on the suitability of the various sites; if a suitable site has not yet been identified, whether the authorities will consider in-situ reprovisioning of the two clinics; of the latest progress and implementation schedule of the proposal to build the medical centre;
(b) whether the Department of Health has any plan to re-organise the healthcare services provided in the original buildings upon the relocation of the aforesaid two clinics to the medical centre; if it has, of the details and timetable; if not, the reasons for that;
(c) whether it knows the respective average daily attendance of the aforesaid two clinics in the past three years; of the Government's anticipated changes in such attendance in the next five years; and
(d) whether the authorities will consult the local community of Tai Po and TPDC again on the proposal to build the medical centre and the arrangements for the services provided in the buildings in which the two clinics are originally accomodated; if they will, of the timetable; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply:
President,
At present, public primary healthcare services are mainly provided through general out-patient clinics (GOPCs) of the Hospital Authority (HA) and are primarily targeted at the low-income groups, the elderly and patients with chronic diseases. There are two GOPCs run by HA in the Tai Po district, namely, Tai Po Jockey Club General Out-patient Clinic and Wong Siu Ching Family Medicine Centre. Our reply to the various parts of the question is as follows:
(a) and (b) In planning for the provision of public healthcare services, HA takes into account a number of factors, including the projected demand for healthcare services having regard to population growth and demographic changes, the growth rate of individual services as well as possible changes in utilisation patterns of healthcare services. To meet the long-term demand for healthcare services, we have also reserved a site in Tai Po for the future development of primary healthcare facilities.
In view of the convenient locations of the two existing GOPCs in Tai Po, which allows direct access by various means of public transport, HA considers that the expansion of and enhancement to these GOPCs can increase their service capacity in a more effective manner and meet the demand for general out-patient services in the district more efficiently. As such, HA completed the renovation of Tai Po Jockey Club General Out-patient Clinic in 2010-11, which helped streamline the patient flow and improved the Clinic's environment, as well as upgraded the facilities to cope with the development needs of general out-patient services. To further enhance service quality, HA is studying with the relevant departments the feasibility of carrying out alteration works to the access road outside Tai Po Jockey Club General Out-patient Clinic to further increase the area of the clinic.
The Administration has no plan to merge or redevelop Tai Po Jockey Club General Out-patient Clinic and Wong Siu Ching Family Medicine Centre at this stage.
(c) The number of attendances in the GOPCs in Tai Po over the past three years (i.e. 2010-11 to 2012-13) is set out as follows:
2010-11 2011-12 2012-13
Tai Po Jockey Club 119 972 125 664 127 210
General Out-patient Clinic
Wong Siu Ching Family 90 247 95 140 97 276
Medicine Centre
According to the "Population Distribution Projections 2013-2021" of the Planning Department, the projected population of Tai Po will increase from around 300 000 in 2013 to around 320 000 in 2018. By that time, elderly persons aged 65 or above will account for about 15% of the population in the district. HA will continue to closely monitor the demand for primary healthcare services in the district and flexibly deploy resources with a view to providing adequate services to meet local demand.
(d) HA briefed the Social Services Committee (SSC) under the Tai Po District Council (TPDC) on September 12, 2012 and October 19, 2012 on the alteration works to the access road of Tai Po Jockey Club General Out-patient Clinic as mentioned in part (a) above. HA will maintain liaison with the local community (including TPDC) and send representatives to attend the meeting of the SSC of TPDC to be held on July 10, 2013 to gauge and collect views of the local community on healthcare services.
Ends/Wednesday, July 10, 2013
Issued at HKT 16:03
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