The Social Welfare Department (SWD) today (October 18) launched the Information Website for Residential Care Homes for Persons with Disabilities (RCHDs) (rchdinfo.swd.gov.hk), which is a dedicated website offering service information of all RCHDs licensed or issued with certificates of exemption under the Residential Care Homes (Persons with Disabilities) Ordinance.
A spokesman for the SWD said that the website has been developed with a view to enhancing transparency through enabling the public to browse service information of all RCHDs in Hong Kong. Equipped with a search function, the website provides various types of information about more than 310 RCHDs in respect of their licences/certificates of exemption, services, fees, staffing, facilities and service performance, including records of warning or conviction resulting from non-compliances under the relevant ordinance and/or code of practice. Information on whether the RCHDs have participated in the Service Quality Group Scheme is also available. Photographs and detailed information of chargeable items as provided by these RCHDs are also uploaded to the website.
"Following the launch of the Elderly Information Website in 2017, the SWD today launched the Information Website for RCHDs to enhance the transparency of service information in response to public concern about the service quality of residential care homes. The website enables the public to compare the services provided by different RCHDs so as to make informed choices," the spokesman said.
The spokesman added that after the launch of the website, the SWD will keep in view its usage and explore areas for improvement. To ensure that the website contains the latest information, persons-in-charge of the RCHDs may download the Information Updating Form from the website at any time for submission of updated information to the SWD. The department will also remind these persons-in-charge on a regular basis of their responsibility to provide the latest fee schedules for uploading to the website for public access.
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