New Siu Sai Wan Child Assessment Centre Opens December 21, Replacing Ngau Tau Kok Centre

DH's Siu Sai Wan Child Assessment Centre to commence operation next month and child assessment service to be integrated into Hospital Authority next year

The Department of Health (DH) announced today (November6) that the Siu SaiWan Child Assessment Centre (SWCAC) will commence operation on December 21 to replace the Ngau Tau Kok Child Assessment Centre (NKCAC) to be closed on December19.

The new centre is located on the 7/F and 8/F of the Siu Sai Wan Health Integrated Building, 11 Harmony Road, Siu Sai Wan. Its floor area is more than twice that of the NKCAC and it is equipped with updated assessment tools and facilities to provide more comprehensive and quality assessment services for children in need.

Children who are currently receiving services at the NKCAC will be arranged to continue receiving services either at the SWCAC or a Child Assessment Centre (CAC) that serves their residential districts. The DH will notify affected parents or guardians of the service arrangements via Short Message Service (SMS). In the future, children residing on Hong Kong Island will be referred to the SWCAC for services, whereas those living in Ngau Tau Kok will be referred to the Pamela Youde Child Assessment Centre (Kwun Tong).

In addition, the Child Assessment Service (CAS) provided by the seven CACs under the DH (located in KowloonCity, KwunTong, Kwai Chung, ShaTin, Fanling and TuenMun, and the new centre in Siu Sai Wan) will be integrated into the Hospital Authority (HA) effective May 31, 2027.

The Chief Executive's 2024 Policy Address proposed a comprehensive review of the positioning and objectives of the healthcare system, and reform the functions and division of work among the HA, the DH and the Primary Healthcare Commission (PHCC). The DH will continue to perform its public health functions, and regulatory and enforcement roles. Meanwhile, clinical services will be gradually integrated into the HA or the PHCC according to the plan.

Following the service integration, the CAS will be integrated into the services of the Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine of the Hong Kong Children's Hospital under the HA in order to strengthen interdisciplinary and cross-specialty collaboration, optimise the deployment of relevant healthcare manpower, and enhance service processes and referral mechanisms. Children suspected of having developmental or behavioural problems will receive the necessary multidisciplinary assessment, treatment and rehabilitation services, whilst benefiting from the improved service continuity and co-ordination arrangements.

To ensure that children continue to receive appropriate services after the integration, the DH will transfer the case information and medical records stored at the CAS to the HA for future follow-up. The HA will send relevant appointment notifications to parents or guardians by post and/or via the "HA Go" mobile application. The HA encourages parents or guardians to register an "HA Go" account for their children so that they can check their appointment arrangements.

If parents or guardians choose not to have their children continue receiving related services in the HA, the relevant case information and medical records will not be transferred to the HA. Parents and guardians should contact the DH at 2246 6659 during office hours starting from today to arrange for the signing of the relevant documents. The duly signed documents must be returned to the DH on or before December 31, 2026. The DH will dispose of and destroy the relevant records in accordance with the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance and its internal records management policy. Those children's appointments scheduled for or after May 31, 2027, will be cancelled. Should those children seek to consult the HA's CAS in future, a fresh referral from a professional will be required, and an appointment shall be made in accordance with the HA's procedures for new cases.

Members of the public who have any enquiries regarding the service arrangements may contact the DH's CAS at 2246 6659 during office hours, or visit the DH's website(www.dhcas.gov.hk).

Source: AI-found images

FEHD launches third phase of "Operation Skynet" to combat rodent infestation at food premises and step up inspections of waste disposal facilities at shopping malls

A spokesman for the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) said today (November 6) that in response to recent environmental hygiene and rodent infestation problems at several food premises and the shopping malls in which they are located, the department has launched the third phase of "Operation Skynet", a special inspection and enforcement operation. The operation focuses on combating irregularities of restaurants at shopping malls, and extends the scope of inspections to other high-risk areas in shopping malls as well as nearby food premises, with a view to improving and safeguarding environmental hygiene and food safety in the community.

The spokesman said, "The FEHD launched 'Operation Skynet' on September 30. During the first two phases, special inspections and enforcement actions were conducted targeting supermarkets, restaurants, other food premises and public markets, with a total of 196 prosecutions initiated, and 297 statutory Notices of Elimination of Vermin as well as 144 Notices of Requirement to Cleanse and Repair Food Premises issued."

During the third phase of "Operation Skynet", FEHD officers will focus inspections on restaurants at shopping malls, while expanding the scope to cover other high-risk areas in the malls and nearby food premises. A particular focus will be placed on inspecting the management of refuse collection, food waste handling, and related collection facilities. The department will request relevant persons-in-charge to optimise and expedite waste handling, implement rodent control measures, fill in rat holes, and eliminate harborage places. If any food premises are found violating the Food Business Regulation or showing signs of rodent infestation, the department will take stringent enforcement action in accordance with the law, including issuing statutory notices to the premises and shopping malls concerned, as well as initiating prosecutions. In severe cases meeting statutory conditions, the FEHD may issue a closure order against the food premises; if the non-compliance persists, the relevant licence may even be suspended or cancelled.

To further enhance the environmental hygiene standard of private properties in Hong Kong, the FEHD has stepped up collaboration with the Property Management Services Authority to widely disseminate messages on rodent prevention and control to the property management sector through the Authority. The department appeals to the sector to refer to the Best Practice Guide on "Rodent Control in Residential Properties" jointly formulated by the Authority and the FEHD, and to strictly execute the prevention and control measures.

The spokesman stressed that maintaining environmental hygiene in the community is everyone's responsibility. Food premises and property management agents of shopping malls must take up the responsibility for daily hygiene and rodent prevention and control within their premises and common areas. The FEHD will continue to follow up and review the effectiveness of rodent control work to ensure environmental hygiene in the community.

Source: AI-found images