Tin Shui Wai Hospital eyes expanded services, will offer 24-hour emergency care
The announcement comes as Hong Kong continues to grapple with flu season and the demand for hospital beds remains high
Tin Shui Wai Hospital will extend operation of its accident and emergency unit to 24 hours and launch inpatient services in November, Hong Kong’s food and health secretary said on Tuesday.
Before the hospital offers round-the-clock emergency care, it will extend the operating hours to 12 hours a day from March 21, offering the services from 8am to 8pm.
Since the unit was opened in March last year, the hospital offers emergency services for eight hours daily, from 8am to 4pm.
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“Depending on the availability of manpower and resources … in November this year the accident and emergency services would be further extended to 24 hours,” said Secretary for Food and Health Professor Sophia Chan Siu-chee at a tree planting ceremony at the hospital on Tuesday. “Inpatient emergency services would also be launched.”
Dr Deacons Yeung Tai-kong, the hospital’s chief executive, said there would be 32 beds at the emergency medicine ward when the inpatient service begins in November.
“The service could help [share the burden of] inpatient emergency services at Pok Oi Hospital and Tuen Mun Hospital,” said Yeung, referring to the two hospitals which are also located in New Territories West.