Replies to LegCo questions

LCQ8: Elderly health centres

Following is a question by the Hon Tam Yiu-chung and a written reply by the Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr York Chow, in the Legislative Council today (December 6):

Question :

Some members of the public have complained to me that they have to wait for a long time to become members of elderly health centres. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(a) of the respective current numbers of members and elderly persons on the enrolment waiting list of each elderly health centre;

(b) of the current estimated average waiting time for enrolling as members of elderly health centres;

(c) of last year's attendance by elderly persons for services in respect of each elderly health centre;

(d) of the respective current numbers of medical staff and nursing staff in each elderly health centre; and

(e) whether it has any plan to allocate additional resources and manpower for elderly health centres, so that they can serve more elderly persons; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

Reply :

Madam President,

(a) The Department of Health (DH) is operating 18 Elderly Health Centres (EHCs). Each EHC has more or less the same number of members. Altogether there are about 38 000 members in the 18 EHCs. About 27 000 elders are waiting for enrolment as new members.

(b) The median waiting time for enrolling as an EHC member is estimated to be about 38 months.

(c) In 2005, the 18 EHCs conducted health assessment, follow-up counselling, and medical consultation involving 195 000 attendances, and health education involving 150 000 attendances. The number of attendances in each EHC is more or less the same.

(d) There are a medical doctor and three nurses in an EHC. Also, paramedical personnel from DH (including clinical psychologists, dieticians, occupational therapists and physiotherapists) visit EHCs regularly to provide follow-up counselling services for members in need.

(e) EHCs' services include health assessment, general out-patient service, physical check up, individual counselling and health education. As the services are heavily subsidized (the annual membership fee is $110), there is huge demand for EHC services.

Public resources are limited. EHCs alone cannot meet the health care needs of all the elders. The Government at present has no plan to further expand the EHC services. We note that EHCs are not the only provider of primary health care services for elders. The followings are also key components of our health care services for elders:

(i) the 18 Visiting Health Teams of DH organize health talks and other health promotion activities for elders and carers, in collaboration with the 200 or so elderly centres run by non-government organizations (NGOs) with Government subsidy;

(ii) the Elderly Health Services of DH produces do-it-yourself health educational kits to further promote health education and disease prevention;

(iii) elderly centres have been helping to promote health education to elders in the community;

(iv) the Hospital Authority is running more than 70 General Out-patient Clinics (GOPCs) to provide general out-patient services for the public. Elders are major users of GOPCs' services;

(v) various NGOs are operating health clinics on a self-financing basis; and

(vi) private medical practitioners are also key providers of primary medical care for elders. In the discussion paper on "Building a Healthy Tomorrow", the Health and Medical Development Advisory Committee recommended the Government to promote the family doctor concept and leverage effectively on the private medical sector to provide primary medical care services. DH will strengthen collaboration with relevant stakeholders (including private practitioners and NGOs) to enhance primary health care services for elders.

DH will continue to take care of and enhance the health of the elders along these directions.


Ends/Wednesday, December 6, 2006
Issued at HKT 12:37

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