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LCQ20: Parking spaces in public hospitals
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     Following is a question by the Dr Hon Pierre Chan and a written reply by the Secretary for Food and Health, Professor Sophia Chan, in the Legislative Council today (July 12):

Question:

     Some staff members of and visitors to public hospitals have relayed to me that the parking spaces in public hospitals (including the North Lantau Hospital and Tin Shui Wai Hospital which were completed in recent years) are always in short supply, thus causing inconvenience to them.  In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) whether it knows the current numbers of hospital beds and parking spaces in various public hospitals (and, among them, the numbers of parking spaces for visitors), and set out such information in a table by name of hospital;

(2) given that the public hospital development plan in the coming decade put forward by the Government in last year's Policy Address includes the redevelopment/expansion of 11 public hospitals, whether there will be changes in the numbers of parking spaces in each of such hospitals before and after the redevelopment/expansion projects; if so, of the details (set out such information in a table);

(3) whether it knows if the Hospital Authority (HA) received in each of the past five years any complaint from staff members of or visitors to public hospitals about the shortage of parking spaces in the hospitals; if HA did, how HA followed up such complaints;

(4) as it is stipulated in the Hong Kong Planning Standards and Guidelines that parking spaces in hospitals should be provided according to the ratio of one parking space per three to 12 hospital beds, of the date on which such standard was last revised; and

(5) of the regulations, government policies or guidelines, apart from the standard mentioned in (4), that govern the number of parking spaces in public hospitals?
 
Reply:

President,

     My reply to the various parts of the question raised by the Dr Hon Pierre Chan is as follows:

(1) The numbers of hospital beds and parking spaces (with breakdown on the number of visitor parking spaces) in public hospitals are listed at the Annex.

(2) The expected change in the number of parking spaces in five of the projects under the ten-year hospital development plan (HDP) is as follows:
Project Expected change in the number of parking spaces
Expansion of Haven of Hope Hospital an increase by about 45
Extension of Operating Theatre Block for Tuen Mun Hospital no change
Redevelopment of Kwai Chung Hospital an increase by about 140
New Acute Hospital at Kai Tak Development Area an increase by about 900
Redevelopment of Prince of Wales Hospital, Phase 2 (Stage 1) an increase by about 100

     As these projects are still at the preliminary stage, the estimated changes are subject to future adjustments.

     Regarding the remaining projects under the HDP, the estimated changes in the number of parking spaces are not yet available as the projects are still at the planning stage.  The planning and related arrangements for parking spaces will be made in accordance with the Hong Kong Planning Standards and Guidelines (HKPSG) and the internal operational guidelines of the Hospital Authority (HA), taking into account factors such as geographic environment, flow of people and public transport services available in the district concerned.

(3) In the past five years, the HA received a total of 22 complaints relating to inadequate parking spaces in public hospitals.  A breakdown by year is given below:
Year Number of complaints received by the HA relating to inadequate parking spaces in public hospitals
2012 1
2013 2
2014 2
2015 6
2016 11

     Among the complaints, about 20% were lodged by staff and about 80% by visitors.  For the allocation of parking spaces to staff, hospitals have been issuing parking permits to staff taking into account such factors as their operational needs and commuting distances to work.  As to the number of parking spaces, allocation is made having regard to the operational needs of staff and departments.  All hospitals will review their arrangements for issuing the parking permits and the utilisation of parking spaces on a regular basis to ensure optimal allocation and utilisation of the spaces.  Hospitals have also stepped up security patrols to ensure that there is no abuse or prolonged occupation of the parking spaces.  Under exceptional circumstances (e.g. closure of some parking spaces in Queen Mary Hospital due to redevelopment), hospitals will consider installing electric double car stackers where practicable in order to meet the pressing demand for parking spaces.

(4) & (5) The current standards and guidelines for parking facilities in hospitals set out in Chapter 8 of the HKPSG were last revised in 2003.  In that exercise, the Transport Department modified the standard size of hospitals' lay-bys for public light buses or maxicabs, and reaffirmed that the standard provision ratio of one car parking space to 3-12 beds in hospitals was still appropriate.  The relevant standards and guidelines have remained in force since then.
In addition to the HKPSG, there is also an operations circular issued by the HA on the provision of visitor parking spaces in public hospitals, in which guidelines are given on the number, location, management and fees and charges of visitor parking spaces in its hospitals and specialist outpatient clinics.
 
Ends/Wednesday, July 12, 2017
Issued at HKT 17:50
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