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Following is a written reply by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, to a question by the Hon Cheung Kwok-che on the conversion of residential care homes for the elderly in the Legislative Council today (December 17):
Question:
The Government decided in 2005 to phase out places in self-care ("S/C") hostels and homes for the aged ("H/A") so that resources could be re-engineered to provide more places with long-term care and attention ("C&A") for the elderly. At the same time, the Government launched a conversion exercise to assist 75 homes in converting their places into C&A places. The majority of the homes were required to carry out the conversion at their existing premises and renovation works were also required in order to meet the requirements of the Social Welfare Department ("SWD") in terms of facilities and spacing. Yet, certain S/C hostels and H/As located in public housing estates have not been able to carry out the conversion recently because the Housing Department ("HD") did not approve large scale renovation works to be carried out. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(a) how SWD will coordinate with HD to assist the above homes in carrying out the conversion at their existing premises;
(b) where conversion of places at existing premises is not feasible due to the above reason, whether SWD will identify other premises for such S/C hostels and H/As to facilitate their conversion;
(c) of the respective numbers of homes whose S/C hostel and H/A places have and have not been converted to C&A places since the above conversion exercise was launched in June 2005, and the reasons why some places have not yet been converted; and
(d) of the details of the Government's vetting procedures for funding applications related to such conversion?
Reply:
President,
My reply to the question is as follows:
(a) To enhance the capability of subsidised residential care places for the elderly in providing continuum of care, the Social Welfare Department (SWD) launched a "Conversion Programme" in June 2005 to convert in phases places in 75 subsidised residential care homes for the elderly (RCHEs) which do not have long-term care element to care and attention (C&A) places providing continuum of care. Among these RCHEs, 59 are located in public housing estates (PHEs) of the Housing Department (HD).
The Conversion Programme is conducted under the principle of in-situ conversion. Participating RCHEs are required to carry out in-situ refitting works to cater for the needs of frail elders, including, for instance, the installation of bedside emergency alarm bells, the extension or alteration of toilets to facilitate access of wheelchair users and the addition of physiotherapy treatment rooms, etc.
As the conversion involves major refitting works, the concerned RCHEs have to submit applications to HD for approval if their premises are located in PHEs. To facilitate the processing of applications by HD, SWD has briefed the Independent Checking Unit of HD, which is responsible for vetting the refitting works of the department's premises, on the contents of the Conversion Programme and the major refitting works that may be involved. SWD has also shared the list of the 59 RCHEs located in PHEs with HD. HD has assigned designated managers in its Estate Offices in various districts to process these applications. As some of the RCHEs occupying two or more floors are required to install electrical lifting platforms which may have impact on the structure of the premises to a certain extent, SWD has been in discussion with HD so that the latter can render assistance to the concerned RCHEs when considering their applications.
SWD will continue to listen to the views of the operators of the concerned RCHEs, and maintain close liaison with HD on matters relating to the Conversion Programme.
(b) Prior to the implementation of the Conversion Programme, SWD has conducted a preliminary assessment on the suitability of the concerned RCHE premises in carrying out the refitting works required. According to SWD's assessment, among the 75 RCHEs under the Programme, only one located in a PHE may not be suitable for the refitting works required due to structural constraints. SWD has discussed with the non-governmental organisation (NGO) operating the concerned RCHE, and will arrange to convert the concerned places together with places in other RCHEs operated by the same NGO.
(c) One of the principles of the Conversion Programme is to minimise the disturbance to existing residents of the concerned RCHEs. As such, existing residents are allowed to stay in the RCHEs. SWD will confirm the conversion arrangements with a particular RCHE when it has accumulated a certain number of vacancies arising from natural wastage. The conversion will be conducted in phases. Upon the start of the conversion process, places in the RCHE will continue to be vacated through natural wastage and will be converted gradually. Depending on the situation of individual RCHEs, it may take a few years to complete the whole conversion process.
At present, 60 out of the 75 RCHEs have rolled out the conversion process, and are providing subsidised C&A places with continuum of care.
(d) RCHEs participating in the Conversion Programme may apply for the Lotteries Fund to cover the expenditure of the refitting works and basic furniture and equipment required under the Programme.
Upon receipt of the funding applications from RCHEs, SWD will vet the applications, taking into account the necessity of the works and whether the valuation is reasonable, etc., and submit the applications to the Lotteries Fund Advisory Committee for approval. SWD will then release the approved funding to the concerned RCHEs in accordance with the established procedures.
Ends/Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Issued at HKT 12:05
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