The Secretary for Food and Health, Professor Sophia Chan, and the Under Secretary for Food and Health, Dr Chui Tak-yi, today (February 27) visited Yuen Long District. At a tree planting ceremony held at Tin Shui Wai Hospital (TSWH), Professor Chan announced that the hospital's accident and emergency (A&E) services would be further extended to 12 hours a day.

     Speaking at the ceremony, Professor Chan noted that the provision of A&E services in New Territories West has in the past always relied on Tuen Mun Hospital and Pok Oi Hospital. Since the opening of TSWH last year, the pressure on the two hospitals in providing A&E services has been greatly relieved. TSWH also provides local residents with a more convenient and new service point for medical services.

     "The various services of TSWH have been come into operation in phases in the past year. To enhance its services, TSWH will extend its A&E services from the current eight-hour a day to 12-hours from March 21 this year, with a view to taking care of more patients with urgent medical needs. Depending on the availability of manpower and resources, TSWH will further extend its daily A&E services to 24 hours and commence inpatient A&E services in November this year.
      
     Professor Chan stressed that the Food and Health Bureau and the Hospital Authority (HA) will continue to allocate resources and manpower to tie in with the commencement of other medical services provided by TSWH.
      
     Other officiating guests attending today's tree planting ceremony included the Chairman of the HA, Professor John Leong; the Chairman of the Hospital Governing Committee of TSWH, Mr Wong Kwai-huen; the Chief Executive of the HA, Dr Leung Pak-yin; the Chairman of the Yuen Long District Council, Mr Shum Ho-kit; and the District Officer (Yuen Long), Mr Enoch Yuen.
      
     In the morning, before attending the tree planting ceremony, Professor Chan and Dr Chui also visited the Mrs Wong Tung Yuen District Elderly Community Centre of Pok Oi Hospital in Yuen Long to see the meal delivery and medical check services provided to the elderly in the district. They also met with members of Yuen Long District Council to listen to their views on various healthcare and environmental hygiene issues.

Ends/Tuesday, February 27, 2018
Issued at HKT 13:20

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