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LCQ1: Mental health services amid epidemic
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     Following is a question by the Hon Lam So-wai and a reply by the Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, in the Legislative Council today (July 6):
 
Question:
 
     A survey has found that amid the COVID-19 epidemic, about 10-odd percent of the respondents developed post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms, including intrusive memories and avoidance behaviours. Regarding mental health services amid the epidemic, will the Government inform this Council:
 
(1) whether it will consider launching a territory-wide mental health survey to gain an understanding about the mental health condition of members of the public amid the epidemic, with a view to formulating targeted support measures; if so, of the details and timetable; if not, the reasons for that;
 
(2) as it is learnt that amid the epidemic, online or telephone counselling programmes and emotional support services have become popular, whether the Government will consider strengthening such services in a systematic manner, so as to adapt to the new norm in the era of epidemic; if so, of the details and timetable; if not, the reasons for that; and
 
(3) whether it has considered, by following the practice of setting up District Health Centres, setting up community mental health centres in the 18 districts across the territory, so as to provide one-stop mental health support services, as well as services such as bereavement counselling which cater for the needs in the era of epidemic?
 
Reply:
 
President,
 
     The Government attaches great importance to the mental health of the public under the epidemic, and understands that the COVID-19 epidemic has posed considerable challenges on both the physical and mental well-being of the public. 
 
     Regarding the Hon Lam So-wai's question, in consultation with the Labour and Welfare Bureau, the Social Welfare Department (SWD), the Department of Health (DH) and the Hospital Authority (HA), I hereby reply as follows:
 
(1) First of all, the Government established the Advisory Committee on Mental Health (the Advisory Committee) in December 2017 to advise the Government on mental health policies. In order to better understand the state of the mental health of the public, on the Advisory Committee's advice, the former Food and Health Bureau (currently re-titled the Health Bureau) commissioned the University of Hong Kong and the Chinese University of Hong Kong in 2019 to conduct three large-scale mental health prevalence surveys with a duration of 42 to 51 months. The targets of the three surveys are children and adolescents aged 6 to 17, adolescents and young adults aged 15 to 24, and elderly persons aged 60 and above respectively. The surveys are still in progress and are expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2023, the third quarter of 2022 and the fourth quarter of 2022 respectively. 
 
     Separately, in response to the COVID-19 epidemic, the Health Bureau allocated funding through the Health and Medical Research Fund (HMRF) promptly and commissioned the local universities to undertake medical research on COVID-19. Since April 2020, the HMRF has approved a total of $556 million for 70 related medical research projects. Among those 70 research projects related to the epidemic and the investigator-initiated projects invited by the HMRF openly every year, seven research projects are focused on COVID-19 and mental health, covering the psychological impacts on the general public and COVID-19 patients under the epidemic. These include the prevalence of psychological distress, anxiety, depression and stress-related diseases as well as treatment of different types, with a view to improving the quality of life and mental health of the public under the epidemic. The duration of these research projects ranges from one to five years.
 
     The results of the above-mentioned surveys will assist the Government in devising targeted mental health policies and supporting measures.
 
(2) Amid the COVID-19 epidemic, the HA has maintained normal in-patient services and specialist out-patient clinic services. In the light of the different needs of patients, the HA's psychiatric specialist services are provided to suitable patients through other means, such as by following up on patients' conditions via phone calls. In addition, the HA's psychiatric specialist services are piloting the provision of telehealth services with an application, such as arranging psychogeriatric outreach services for suitable patients living in residential care homes for the elderly and day hospital services for suitable psychiatric patients through remote video conferencing. On the other hand, the "Mental Health Direct" of the HA continues to operate around the clock to provide support to persons in need.
 
     Under the co-ordination of the Advisory Committee, the DH has been implementing a mental health promotion and public education initiative named "Shall We Talk". In the light of the development of the epidemic as well as the different needs of persons such as carers, students, persons under isolation or quarantine, ethnic minorities, "Shall We Talk" keeps producing and updating various mental health information, and disseminates them through different channels, such as its one-stop mental health information website, social media, television, radio.
 
     Amid the epidemic, the SWD's various subsidised welfare services, including the Integrated Community Centres for Mental Wellness, Integrated Family Service Centres, Day Care Centres for the Elderly, Cyber Youth Support Teams, hotline services, have maintained services while continuing to provide support to persons with mental health needs through means such as phone calls and video communication. Instances of such support include individual and group counselling, psychological treatments, talks.
 
(3) The establishment of District Health Centres (DHCs) is to enhance public awareness of preventive healthcare and personal health management through community networks. To date, DHCs or DHC Expresses can be found in 14 districts across Hong Kong, and will be extended to cover the remaining four districts, including Wong Tai Sin, Yuen Long, Southern District and Tsuen Wan, in the next few months. Upon their presence in all 18 districts within this year, DHCs and DHC Expresses will serve as an important hardware for promoting the collaboration of primary healthcare services.
 
     With an emphasis on preventive work, DHCs provide disease prevention services at the primary healthcare level, focusing on primary, secondary and tertiary prevention through district-based medical-social collaboration and public-private partnership, with a view to enhancing public awareness of personal health management and disease prevention.
 
     Among the three levels of prevention, primary prevention provides health educational programmes and preventive promotion with wide coverage, which includes mental health. Also, DHCs provide basic health risk assessments with an aim to identify health risk factors at an early stage. If members of the public are found to have emotional problems, nurses and social workers of DHCs will provide them with health consultation and counselling services.
 
     In addition, DHCs also serve as district primary healthcare hubs to work with other community partners that provide primary healthcare services and co-ordinate referral services, including mental health support, for members of the public who are in need.
 
     We understand that some members of the public would face the unfortunate passing of family members or friends during the epidemic. Coupled with the restrictions on some traditional mourning rituals due to social distancing measures, these changes may easily intensify their grief and anxiety.
 
     To support members of the public with deceased family members or friends under the epidemic, the Government and the HA have implemented the following initiatives:
 
(a) The HA's professional team and the SWD's medical social workers stationed in public hospitals will provide emotional counselling to family members in need; and

(b) The DH set up the "COVID-19 Grief Support Hotline" from March to April this year to provide emotional support and counselling services by the DH's clinical psychologists to the bereaved family members.
     
     Thank you, President.
 
Ends/Wednesday, July 6, 2022
Issued at HKT 15:58
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