Hospital Authority announces general out-patient clinic service arrangements on Labour Day and Birthday of the Buddha holidays
The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
The Hospital Authority (HA) spokesperson today (April 29) announced that 14 general out-patient clinics (GOPCs) will provide public holiday GOPC services during Labour Day(May 1)and the Birthday of the Buddha (May 5) (see table below). Patients may book an appointment either through the telephone appointment system or the "Book GOPC" function of the "HA Go" mobile app.
The spokesperson reminded members of the public to stay vigilant to personal and environmental hygiene during the holidays to avoid spreading diseases. Members of the public who develop respiratory symptoms should wear masks and seek medical advice promptly. Non-emergency patients should avoid using A&E services and instead seek treatment at GOPCs, private doctors or 24-hour outpatient services at private hospitals to reduce pressure on public hospital A&Es. Members of the public can visit the Health Bureau (HHB)'s Primary Care Directory (www.pcdirectory.gov.hk). The HHB has also collated information of private hospitals, healthcare facilities, family doctors and Chinese medicine clinics that will be in operation during Labour Day and the Birthday of the Buddha across all 18 districts. In collaboration with the Development Bureau's Spatial Data Office and the Lands Department, the information (including addresses, phone numbers and operation hours) of the relevant hospitals and clinics have been uploaded to the online portal (www.map.gov.hk/gm/s/hhbclinic/all?lg=en) for public reference.
The HA will implement special refund arrangements in the A&Es again to provide stable patients with flexibility in choosing alternative medical institutions. Patients waiting for doctor consultations at A&Es who choose to seek medical advice at other medical facilities can request a refund of their A&E fees directly from duty staff at the registration counter. "HA Go" members can also submit applications through the mobile application. This arrangement only applies to patients who have not yet been seen by a doctor and must be requested within 24 hours of registration. Eligible applicants will receive refunds via mailed cheque, credit card, or electronic wallet within approximately one month.
GOPC service arrangements on Labour Day (May 1) and the Birthday of the Buddha (May 5) holidays
Region |
List of GOPCs |
Address |
Telephone
number for booking |
General Enquiry |
HONG KONG ISLAND |
Aberdeen Jockey Club General Out-patient Clinic |
10 Aberdeen Reservoir Road, Aberdeen |
3543 5011 |
2555 0381 |
Shau Kei Wan Jockey Club General Out-patient Clinic
|
1/F, 8 Chai Wan Road, Shau Kei Wan |
3157 0077 |
2560 0211 |
Violet Peel General Out-patient Clinic |
LG, Tang Shiu Kin Hospital Community Ambulatory Care Centre, 282 Queen's Road East, Wanchai |
3157 0000 |
3553 3116 |
KOWLOON |
Kwun Tong Community Health Centre |
UG/F, 60 Hip Wo Street, Kwun Tong |
3157 0687 |
2389 0331 |
Our Lady of Maryknoll HospitalFamily Medicine Clinic |
G/F, Out-patient Block, Our Lady of Maryknoll Hospital, 118 Shatin Pass Road, Wong Tai Sin |
3157 0118 |
2354 2267 |
Robert Black General Out-patient Clinic |
600 Prince Edward Road East, San Po Kong |
3157 0113 |
2383 3311 |
Yau Ma Tei Jockey Club General Out-patient Clinic |
1/F, 145 Battery Street, Yau Ma Tei |
3157 0880 |
2272 2400 |
NEW TERRITORIES |
Lady Trench General Out-patient Clinic |
213 Sha Tsui Road, Tsuen Wan |
3157 0107 |
2614 4789 |
Lek Yuen General Out-patient Clinic |
G/F, 9 Lek Yuen Street, Shatin |
3157 0972 |
2692 8730 |
North District Community Health Centre |
North District Family Medicine Clinic, 3/F, North District Community Health Centre Building, No.3 Wai Wo Street, Sheung Shui |
3157 0965 |
2957 5186 |
Tai Po Jockey Club General Out-patient Clinic |
G/F, 37 Ting Kok Road, Tai Po |
3157 0906 |
2664 2039 |
Tseung Kwan O (Po Ning Road) General Out-patient Clinic |
G/F, 28 Po Ning Road, Tseung Kwan O |
3157 0660 |
2191 1083 |
Tuen Mun Clinic |
11 Tsing Yin Street, San Hui, Tuen Mun |
3543 0886 |
2452 9111 |
Yuen Long Jockey Club Health Centre |
269 Castle Peak Road, Yuen Long |
3543 5007 |
2443 8511 |
Service hours:
9am to 1pm and 2pm to 5pm
Making of subsidiary legislation under Safeguarding National Security Ordinance
The Acting Chief Executive in Council today (May 13) approved the making of the Safeguarding National Security (Office for Safeguarding National Security of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region) Regulation (the Regulation) under section 110 of the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance (SNSO) and the making of the Safeguarding National Security (Declaration of Prohibited Places) Order (the Order) by the Acting Chief Executive under section 42 of the SNSO, to provide for specific details in respect of the provisions in Chapter V of the Law of the People's Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKNSL) concerning the mandate of the Office for Safeguarding National Security of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (OSNS), in order to fulfil the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR)'s constitutional duty to further improve the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for safeguarding national security. Both pieces of subsidiary legislation were gazetted on the same day and came into effect immediately.
National security is within the purview of the Central Authorities. Article 48 of the HKNSL provides that the Central People's Government (CPG) shall establish in the HKSAR the OSNS, which shall perform its mandate for safeguarding national security in accordance with the law. Chapter V of the HKNSL provides for the mandate of the OSNS, including overseeing, guiding, co-ordinating with, and providing support to the HKSAR in the performance of its duties for safeguarding national security. Also, the OSNS shall, upon approval by the CPG, exercise jurisdiction over a case concerning an offence endangering national security under the HKNSL in a circumstance specified in Article 55 of the HKNSL. According to Article 61 of the HKNSL, the relevant departments of the HKSAR Government shall provide necessary facilitation and support to the OSNS in performing its mandate in accordance with the HKNSL, and shall stop any act obstructing the performance of such mandate and hold those who commit such act liable in accordance with the law. The HKSAR Government must perform its constitutional duty to enact local legislation for the better carrying into effect of the relevant provisions of the HKNSL.
The four major areas of the subsidiary legislation are:
First, Article 49 of the HKNSL provides that the mandate of the OSNS includes overseeing and guiding the HKSAR in the performance of its duties for safeguarding national security, demonstrating the overarching responsibility of the Central Authorities for national security affairs relating to the HKSAR. The subsidiary legislation clearly outlines the Committee for Safeguarding National Security of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (CSNS) making an overall plan for, and co-ordinating, the implementation of the opinions provided by the OSNS on the OSNS's oversight and guidance, and the CSNS Secretariat's assistance in giving effect thereto, for the better carrying into effect of the relevant provisions of the HKNSL.
Second, Article 55 of the HKNSL provides that the OSNS shall, upon approval by the CPG, exercise jurisdiction over a case concerning the four types of offences endangering national security under the HKNSL (namely secession, subversion, terrorist activities and collusion with a foreign country or with external elements to endanger national security), under any of the three specified special circumstances, i.e. (1) the case is complex due to the involvement of a foreign country or external elements, thus making it difficult for the HKSAR to exercise jurisdiction over the case; (2) a serious situation occurs where the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR Government) is unable to effectively enforce the HKNSL; or (3) a major imminent threat to national security has occurred. Those circumstances target a very small number of endangering national security cases that are of a serious and egregious nature and involve a significant impact. For this purpose, the subsidiary legislation provides for the implementation details, including requirements on public servants to provide all necessary and reasonable assistance to the OSNS in a timely manner; any person must comply with legal instrument issued by the OSNS under Article 57 of the HKNSL; and the provision of immunity from civil liability for complying with the OSNS's legal instrument. Furthermore, the subsidiary legislation provides for relevant offences, including offences for failing to comply with legal instrument, providing false or misleading information, and disclosing information on the OSNS's investigation. The relevant offences are based on similar offences that already exist and are common in the legislation of Hong Kong.
Third, the subsidiary legislation provides for specific details in respect of the provisions of the HKNSL regarding protection in respect of the OSNS and its staff in the performance of its mandate, including requirements on the HKSAR Government and any public servant to provide, in accordance with the law and in a timely manner, all necessary and reasonable assistance, facilitation, support, backing and protection; admissibility of an identification document or a document of certification created or issued by the OSNS to be in evidence in legal proceedings; making the acts of wilfully resisting or obstructing the OSNS in the performance of a duty, impersonating a staff member of the OSNS, or forging documents of the OSNS, an offence; and the obligation of any person to keep confidential the work-related information in connection with the OSNS.
Fourth, the premises where the OSNS performs its mandate are declared as prohibited places. The subsidiary legislation clearly sets out the detailed addresses of the prohibited places and the clear coordinates of the points that can be linked to clearly define the entire prohibited area. The relevant prohibited places are all premises solely occupied by the OSNS to perform its mandate and do not involve private residences. The declaration will not cause any unreasonable impact on the surrounding community.
An HKSAR Government spokesperson said, "Against the increasingly turbulent global geopolitical landscape, national security risks to which the HKSAR is exposed can arise all of a sudden. Therefore, the HKSAR Government must perform its constitutional duty to continue to improve the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for safeguarding national security and to formulate comprehensive measures for safeguarding national security, including the making of subsidiary legislation for the provisions of the HKNSL concerning the OSNS's mandate in order to better implement the mechanisms for safeguarding national security, and prevent and tackle in a timely manner national security risks that may arise unexpectedly.
"The two pieces of subsidiary legislation are essential from the perspective of protection in respect of the OSNS's effective performance of its mandate under the requirements of the HKNSL. The subsidiary legislation will go through the negative vetting procedure at the Legislative Council. The HKSAR Government will make every effort for the early completion of the scrutiny with a view to effectively safeguarding national security as soon as possible - the earlier the better.
"The subsidiary legislation made under the SNSO only aims to provide for specific details in respect of the provisions of the HKNSL concerning the mandate of the OSNS at the local law level. The subsidiary legislation will not affect the lives of the general public, nor will the normal operation of any institution and organisation be affected. The places designated as prohibited places do not involve private residences and will not cause any unreasonable impact on the surrounding community."
