Some designated clinics of Hospital Authority to cease operation and resume provision of general out-patient clinic services
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The Hospital Authority (HA) spokesperson today (May 11) announced that the eight designated clinics for COVID-19 confirmed cases (see Annex 1) will cease operation on May 12 and resume the provision of general out-patient clinic (GOPC) services on May 13.
"The HA has been closely monitoring the epidemic situation and has adjusted its services in accordance to the epidemic developments. Taking into consideration the demand for GOPC services and the recent developments of the epidemic situation, the HA will cease operation of the designated clinics for COVID-19 confirmed cases and resume the services of GOPCs by phases. Following the resumption of some GOPC services earlier, eight designated clinics will cease operation on May 12 and resume GOPC services on May 13 after thorough disinfection and cleaning. In addition, Tsing Yi Cheung Hong GOPC will resume night clinic services on the same day," the HA spokesperson said.
The HA had earlier launched the services of HA designated clinics for COVID-19 confirmed cases in order to provide appropriate treatment for confirmed patients in the community, especially high risk patients (including the elderly aged 70 or above, children aged 5 or below, women at 28 or more weeks of pregnancy, and immunocompromised patients) presenting with relatively mild symptoms of infection requiring medical consultation. Following the activation of some GOPCs/Community Health Centres as designated clinics, the GOPC services of these clinics had been suspended. Moreover, other GOPCs also suspended or adjusted services to concentrate manpower and resources to support the services of designated clinics for COVID-19 confirmed cases so as to provide appropriate treatment for confirmed patients in the community. As at 5pm on May 10, the designated clinics for COVID-19 confirmed cases had provided for a total of 122 600 attendances, among these about 17 400 attendances were from appointments made via the "Care Booking Line" for high-risk patients.
Fifteen HA designated clinics will continue to provide services and support for confirmed patients in the community (see Annex 2). Patients and their carers can make an appointment with a designated clinic by calling the selected designated clinic during the booking and service hours, or booking via the "Book DC" function in the HA's one-stop mobile app "HA Go".
The HA will communicate the service arrangements to the public and patients through different channels, including the display of notices at prominent places of the clinics, public media announcements, the publicity of the service arrangements via the HA website and contacting individual patients requiring follow-ups, to ensure that members of public and patients are informed of the relevant service arrangements.
The HA will continue to closely monitor the epidemic situation and service needs, especially the situation of the after-school resumption of face-to-face class arrangements as well as the relaxation of social distancing measures, and adjust its services (including the services of designated clinics and GOPCs) in response to the epidemic situation to provide appropriate treatment to needy patients.
Ends/Wednesday, May 11, 2022
Issued at HKT 12:00
Issued at HKT 12:00
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