Kwai Chung Hospital Launches Inpatient Services in New Blocks in Phases, Enhancing Care and Facilities for Patients

Kwai Chung Hospital to commence inpatient services in new blocks in phases

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

Kwai Chung Hospital (KCH) announced today (July 24) that, following the earlier phased commissioning of psychiatric outpatient services at the new hospital blocks, inpatient services will also be relocated to the new Main Block and the Child and Adolescent Block in phases starting next Monday (July 27). This marks the full commissioning of the new blocks and a new milestone in the development of psychiatric services in public hospitals.

KCH has been providing psychiatric services to patients with mental illnesses across Kwai Chung, Tsing Yi, Tsuen Wan, North Lantau, Mong Kok, Sham Shui Po and Wong Tai Sin, serving approximately one-quarter of psychiatric patients in Hong Kong. The total construction floor area of the new blocks has increased from about 80 000 square metres before redevelopment to about 134 000 square metres,representing an increase of over 67 per cent. With the overall enhancement in spatial capacity, KCH offers more comprehensive psychiatric care services for patients in a more spacious and optimal environment, further empowering patients on their path to recovery and reintegration into the community.

The new blocks provide a total of 1 000 psychiatric beds. Adult wards are located on 3/F to 9/F of the Main Block, while child and adolescent wards are situated on 4/F to 5/F of the Child and Adolescent Block. Visiting hours remain unchanged (see Annex 1). The wards are spacious, featuring six-bed rooms and single rooms, each equipped with an en-suite bathroom and toilet. The design of the new blocks also breaks with tradition, with each ward featuring a garden, where patients in need can relax outdoors accompanied by healthcare staff. The hospital also includes multi-purpose activity rooms and interview rooms. By integrating individual activity space with hospitalisation, KCH strives to provide a less restrictive and home-like therapeutic environment for patients.

Photo source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Hospital Chief Executive of KCH, Dr Cheng Koi-man, said, "In psychiatry, the environment itself is therapeutic. The spacious design of the new blocks creates an open, safe and community-like therapeutic environment. It also provides more indoor and outdoor activity spaces for inpatients, making them feel at home and breaking the public's stereotype of traditional psychiatric hospitals. Furthermore, the new blocks consolidate the specialist outpatient services previously operated separately at different hospitals and clinics, facilitating multidisciplinary collaboration among clinical teams to formulate personalised and diversified treatment plans, along with community reintegration services that simulate real-life settings and reduce avoidable hospitalisation. This will effectively promote patient recovery and bring the concept of a 'therapeutic village' to fruition through walking alongside patients."

Following the relocation of inpatient services, subsequent follow-up project works will commence immediately, including the demolition of the old L/M Blocks to make way for the construction of a rehabilitation garden, which will provide more outdoor activity space to foster patients' recovery.

Specialist outpatient services of KCH have already been progressively relocated to the new blocks and have been operating smoothly. The West Kowloon Psychiatric Centre will also complete its relocation within the third quarter this year.

To tie in with the service commissioning of KCH new blocks, a minibus stop and a taxi stand are available at the entrance of the Main Block of KCH for passengers. Visitors may also take a bus and alight at KCH stop, or walk along Lai King Hill Road to KCH lift tower and use the lift to the respective blocks (see Annex 2). The lift tower is open daily from 6am to 11.30pm for public access. In addition, the hospital's new main telephone number, 2752 3000, is now in service. The existing hotline, 2959 8111, will cease operation upon completion of the full service relocation. The caller display number for outgoing calls from KCH is 1828547. For more information about KCH services, please visitwww3.ha.org.hk/kch/en/index_default.htm.

Photo source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Kwai Chung Hospital features the new Main Block and the Child and Adolescent Block, which consolidate the specialist outpatient services previously operated at different hospitals and clinics, providing patient-centred treatment plans. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Every ward features a garden, allowing patients in need to relax in an outdoor environment accompanied by healthcare staff. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The wards in the new blocks of Kwai Chung Hospital are spacious, featuring six-bedded and single rooms, each equipped with an independent bathroom and toilet to enhance the sense of space and comfort. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Kwai Chung Hospital announced today (July 24) that its inpatient services will be relocated to the new Main Block and the Child and Adolescent Block in phases starting July 27. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong Customs successfully prosecutes three retailers for supplying goods short by weight in course of business

The sole director of a roasted food shop and his limited company, a seafood shop proprietor and a vegetable shop salesperson were convicted with a criminal record and fined between $1,800 and $4,000 by the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts and the Eastern Magistrates' Courts respectively today (July 24) for supplying goods short by weight in the course of business, in contravention of the Weights and Measures Ordinance (WMO). Furthermore, the sole director of the roasted food shop and his limited company were also convicted of engaging in a commercial practice that was a misleading omission, contrary to the Trade Descriptions Ordinance (TDO).

Customs earlier received public complaints alleging that the retailers involved were suspected of short-weighing. Subsequently, Customs officers posed as customers and conducted test-purchase operations at the alleged shops. It was discovered that the actual weights of the goods sold were less than the declared weights. Upon re-examination by the Government Laboratory, it was found that the actual weight of the goods involved was less than the declared weight with discrepancies ranging from 7 per cent to 48 per cent. Apart from contravening the WMO, the sole director of the roasted food shop also misled customers about the unit of measurement in the course of business, violating the TDO.

Hong Kong Customs welcomes the courts' rulings and believes that they have provided clear and explicit warnings to unscrupulous traders in the industry.

Customs reminds members of the public to purchase products from reputable shops, and when purchasing goods supplied by weight, to pay attention to the weighting process and the actual weight of the goods. Customs also reminds traders to comply with the requirements of the WMO and the TDO.

Under the WMO, any person supplying goods by weight or measure must supply the net weight or net measure, and if the actual weight or measure of the goods is less than the declared quantity, it constitutes an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $10,000. In addition, any person who uses for trade, or has in his possession for use for trade, any weighing or measuring equipment which is false or defective commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $25,000.

Under the TDO, any trader who engages in a commercial practice that omits or hides material information or provides material information in a manner that is unclear, unintelligible, ambiguous or untimely, and as a result causes, or is likely to cause, an average consumer to make a transactional decision, commits an offence of misleading omissions. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years.

Customs reminds traders that the above offences will lead to a criminal record upon conviction. Customs will continue to take stringent enforcement action against unscrupulous traders in order to safeguard consumers' interests and uphold a fair trading environment.

Members of the public may report any suspected violations of the Ordinances by calling the Customs 24-hour hotline at 182 8080, or via the dedicated crime-reporting email account(crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).

Source: AI-found images