The following is issued on behalf of the Office of The Ombudsman:

     The Ombudsman, Ms Connie Lau, today (January 31) published the Office of The Ombudsman's Brief Report 2018.  

     The Office received a total of 10 130 enquiries and 4 870 complaints in 2018. The figures were at similar levels to those in the past few years, with an average of 850 enquiries and 400 complaints per month.

     Based on the allegations made by complainants, the top three causes for public complaints against government departments/public organisations were errors and wrong advice/decision (34.2 per cent), ineffective control (13.6 per cent) and delay/inaction (12.6 per cent). The top three causes above were the same as those in 2017, only that the second and third had swapped places. 

     For complaints received and screened in, the Office will pursue by inquiry, mediation or full investigation, depending on the nature and complexity of the cases. Of the 2 785 cases pursued and concluded, 84.7 per cent were concluded by inquiry, 7.9 per cent by full investigation, and 7.4 per cent by mediation. These figures were similar to those of last year.

     In 2018, the Office completed and announced the following 11 direct investigation reports:

(1) Government's Control over Fly-tipping of Construction Waste and Landfilling Activities on Private Land

(2) The Mechanism of Food and Health Bureau and Department of Health for Handling Smoking Offences

(3) Water Supplies Department's Maintenance of Government Water Mains and Risk Management

(4) Government Departments' Handling of the Problem of Air-conditioner Dripping

(5) Immigration Department's Mechanism for Following up Cases of Unregistered Birth

(6) Food and Environmental Hygiene Department's Regulation of Market Stalls

(7) Food and Environmental Hygiene Department's Rental Management of Market Stalls 

(8) Housing Department's Arrangement for Using Idle Spaces in Public Housing Estates

(9) Regulation of Illegal Burials Outside Permitted Burial Grounds by the Home Affairs Department and the Lands Department 

(10) Government's Regulation of Proprietary Chinese Medicine

(11) Social Welfare Department's Monitoring of Services of Residential Care Homes for the Elderly

     As always, the Office will publish the direct investigation reports on its website, and select those direct investigation reports of wide community concern for announcement at press conferences. The Office will keep an eye on issues that warrant its attention in order to decide on the direction of investigation. 

     The Social Welfare Department (SWD) today (January 31) invited eligible elderly persons to apply for the fifth batch of vouchers under the Pilot Scheme on Residential Care Service Voucher (RCSV) for the Elderly.
      
     A spokesman for the SWD said that elderly persons who have been assessed as moderately impaired under the SWD's Standardised Care Need Assessment Mechanism for Elderly Services and waitlisted for care-and-attention (C&A) places under the Central Waiting List (CWL) for Subsidised Long Term Care Services for the Elderly with application dates on or before the end of August 2018 (not including those who are RCSV holders, those who have utilised RCSVs, those whose status on the CWL is "inactive" or those who are offered subsidised placement) are eligible to apply for the fifth batch of RCSVs. Letters will be sent to the elderly persons concerned to invite them to join the Pilot Scheme. The closing date for applications is February 28. Successful applicants will be issued with RCSVs from the end of March onwards.
      
     The spokesman said, "Adopting the 'money-following-the-user' principle, the Scheme provides an additional choice for elderly persons in need of residential care service by allowing them to choose the residential care homes for the elderly (RCHEs), from among the eligible RCHEs under the Pilot Scheme, that suit their needs, the Pilot Scheme has been implemented in three phases which were launched in March 2017, September 2017 and September 2018."
      
     To date, there are a total of 103 RCHEs participating as Recognised Service Providers (RSPs) in different phases offering beds which accept RCSV holders. The RSPs include subvented homes, contract homes and self-financing homes providing non-subsidised residential care places for the elderly as well as private RCHEs which meet the requirements. Such requirements include meeting the space standard and staffing requirements of EA1 homes under the Enhanced Bought Place Scheme (EBPS). The SWD now invites eligible RCHEs to apply for participating in the third phase of the Pilot Scheme as RSPs. It is expected that the numbers of RSPs and residential care places available for RCSV holders would increase gradually.
      
     Under the principle of "users pay in accordance with affordability", the Scheme adopts a sliding scale of co-payment at eight levels (Level 0 to Level 7). Elderly persons will be assessed on an individual basis in the means test in which both income and assets are taken into account in determining the co-payment level. The percentages of payment by elderly users range from 0 per cent at the lowest to 75 per cent at the highest. The current voucher value under the Pilot Scheme is $13,287 per month. The RSP has to provide a "standard service package" under the voucher value for RCSV holders. The scope of the package is comparable to that of subsidised C&A places under the EBPS. Apart from choosing places at voucher value in RSPs, the Pilot Scheme also allows RCSV holders to make top-up payments to purchase enhanced or value-added services.
      
     The spokesman added that the Residential Care Service Voucher Office of the SWD would provide support for RCSV holders, such as regular visits and assistance in switching RSPs when necessary.
      
     For elderly persons who have received invitation letters or for eligible elderly persons as mentioned above, if they or their carers/family members have enquiries about the application for RCSV, they may contact the above-mentioned office at 3107 3280 or 3107 3290. The telephone lines will be operating from 9.30am to 1pm and from 2.30pm to 5pm on Mondays to Fridays, except for public holidays.
      
     For details of the Pilot Scheme and the list of RSPs, citizens may visit the SWD website (www.swd.gov.hk). Citizens may also browse the SWD Elderly Information Website (elderlyinfo.swd.gov.hk) to get more details such as manpower and facilities about each of the RSPs.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     During the winter surge, the Hospital Authority (HA) is closely monitoring the service demand of Accident and Emergency Departments and the occupancy rate in public hospitals. Key service statistics are being issued daily for public information. Details are in the appended table.
 
     In addition, the weekly bulletin "Surge in Brief" (appended) will be issued every Thursday to illustrate the four-week trend of key service statistics in public hospitals. "Surge in Brief" can be accessed in the HA Winter Surge designated webpage (www.ha.org.hk/goto/wintersurge/en).

Attention TV/radio announcers:

Please broadcast the following as soon as possible:

Here is an item of interest to swimmers.

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (January 31) that due to big waves, the red flag has been hoisted at Clear Water Bay Second Beach in Sai Kung District. Beach-goers are advised not to swim at the beach.

     Police are investigating a fatal traffic accident in Tsuen Wan this afternoon (January 30) in which a 61-year-old man died.

     At about 4.44pm, a heavy goods vehicle (HGV) driven by a 54-year-old man, a light goods vehicle (LGV) driven by a 58-year-old man, a medium goods vehicle (MGV) driven by a 63-year-old man and an MGV driven by a 61-year-old man were travelling along Tsing Long Highway towards Kowloon. When approaching the exit of Tai Lam Tunnel, an HGV driven by a 41-year-old man reportedly collided with the MGV driven by the 61-year-old man.

     The 61-year-old MGV driver was trapped inside the compartment and rescued by firemen. Sustaining chest injuries, he was sent to Yan Chai Hospital in unconscious state and was certified dead at 5.55pm.

     The 41-year-old HGV driver and a 68-year-old male passenger sustained slight injuries. They were sent to Yan Chai Hospital in conscious state.

     The 41-year-old HGV driver was arrested for dangerous driving causing death and is being detained for further enquiries.

     Investigation by the Special Investigation Team of Traffic, New Territories South is underway.

     Anyone who witnessed the accident or has any information to offer is urged to contact the investigating officers on 3661 1300 or 3661 1348.