Replies to LegCo questions
LCQ3: Tung Chung medical services
Following is a question by the Hon Cheung Hok-ming and a reply by the Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr York Chow, in the Legislative Council today (November 17):
Question:
With the population in Tung Chung New Town growing continuously, its demand for medical services has increased correspondingly. As there is a serious shortage of medical consultation services after dark and late at night in the district, the local residents who fall sick or suffer from acute illnesses late at night need to go to Princess Margaret Hospital in Kwai Chung for consultation and the travelling time is not less than 30 minutes. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(a) how it will follow up and solve the problem of shortage of such services late at night in the district;
(b) whether it will consider providing round-the-clock such services at the Tung Chung Health Centre in the short term, so as to alleviate the demand of Tung Chung residents for such services; and
(c) when the siting of Tung Chung Hospital will be finalized and when the construction of the hospital is expected to commence at the earliest and, before the completion of the hospital, whether the authorities will, in the light of the population changes in Tung Chung, review annually the demand of the local residents for medical services?
Reply:
Madam President,
(a)&(b) The Administration fully understands Tung Chung residents' demand for medical consultation services in Tung Chung during the night. The Health, Welfare and Food Bureau and the Hospital Authority (HA) have exchanged views on this matter with Tung Chung residents on several occasions, and have been trying to identify an option that would meet their needs. We have looked at the utilisation rate of the accident and emergency services by Lantau residents in the hospitals close to North Lantau (i.e. Princess Margaret Hospital and Yan Chai Hospital) between midnight and 8 am, and found that the average number of patients from Lantau using this service during this time slot is only 2 to 3 per day. The number triaged as critical and emergency cases is less than 0.1.
Taking into consideration of the likely low utilisation rate of any night service, we are planning to extend the evening consultation hours of Tung Chung Health Centre for two hours to midnight. We will try out this arrangement for a period of time and then review the evening consultation service and the utilization rate of the accident and emergency department of the nearby hospitals before deciding on the way forward for the long run.
(c) We fully understand North Lantau residents' demand for the construction of a North Lantau Hospital. According to the general planning standard, an acute hospital will be provided when the population of a district reaches 200,000 people. That said, in view of the unique circumstances of North Lantau, we have given special consideration to the case of North Lantau Hospital and have already embarked on preliminary planning.
Our tentative plan is to construct North Lantau Hospital in Tung Chung Areas 13, 22 and 25. The current statutory land uses of the site include "Residential (Group A)" and "Government, Institution or Community (G/IC)". We have submitted amendment proposals to the Town Planning Board (TPB) to add hospital use to the second column of the " notes" for "Residential (Group A)" zone. The TPB has already gazetted the amendment for public consultation. Subject to the TPB's approval to incorporate hospital use into the "notes", we will formally consult the District Council and the Tung Chung Rural Committee. After that, we will submit a formal application to the TPB for the construction of a hospital in Tung Chung Areas 13, 22 and 25. Upon approval of the application, the siting of the hospital will be finalised.
Once the site is confirmed, we will proceed to apply for funds to be earmarked for the construction of the hospital and to work on the detailed design in 2005. If the planning proceeds smoothly, it is expected that we will seek funding approval for the project from the Finance Committee of this Council in 2006 and commence the works in 2007. According to this schedule, it is anticipated that North Lantau Hospital will be completed by 2010 or 2011 and will commence operation in phases.
Notwithstanding that special considerations are given to the North Lantau Hospital project, the Administration still has to determine the priority of this project very carefully vis-a-vis other public works projects. Before the completion of the hospital, we will continue to closely monitor Tung Chung residents' needs for medical services and re-deploy resources as appropriate to meet their needs as far as practicable.
Ends/Wednesday, November 17, 2004
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