SLW visits Central and Western District (with photos)

     The Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Dr Law Chi-kwong, today (November 2) visited Central and Western District, where he toured facilities supporting persons with disabilities and met with District Council members.

     Accompanied by the Chairman of the Central and Western District Council (C&WDC), Mr Yip Wing-shing, and the District Officer (Central and Western), Mrs Susanne Wong, he first went to Tung Wah Group of Hospitals Lok Kwan District Support Centre in Sai Ying Pun to learn more about training and care services for persons with disabilities. Comprising occupational therapists, physiotherapists, social workers and tutors of the centre, the multi-disciplinary team arranges skills training for persons with different levels of disabilities. Therapists design assistive tools based on their needs and household settings to facilitate their living in the community. In addition, the centre provides psychological counselling to persons with challenging behaviour or autism using sand play therapy as well as day respite services to help relieve the carers' pressure.

     Dr Law then proceeded to Parkside Residence and Parkside Integrated Service Team operated by St James' Settlement Rehabilitation Services to visit its hostel for persons with moderate or severe intellectual disabilities as well as its supported hostel and residential respite service for persons with intellectual disabilities. The operator provides social, rehabilitation and self-care training to equip persons with intellectual disabilities with necessary skills for independent daily living and self-care ability.

     The Chief Executive's 2018 Policy Address sets out initiatives to enhance community support for families of persons with disabilities, including setting up five additional District Support Centres for Persons with Disabilities and strengthening rehabilitation training and service in order to enhance their service capacity and quality, and providing speech therapy services for ageing service users and those with severe disabilities to assist them in dealing with swallowing problems.

     Noting that many persons with disabilities have expressed wishes to live at home as far as possible in the first stage (Scoping Stage) public engagement exercise of the Hong Kong Rehabilitation Programme Plan (RPP), Dr Law said the Policy Address this year has already announced that the Government would strengthen a range of community support services before the completion of the new RPP. This will enable persons with disabilities to continue to live with their families in the community and at the same time ease the stress of their family members. The Rehabilitation Advisory Committee will launch the next stage of public engagement activities by the end of 2018 to formulate recommendations of the new RPP together with stakeholders.

     After the visit, Dr Law attended a meeting with C&WDC members to elaborate on the labour and welfare policy initiatives in the Policy Address and exchange views with members on issues of concern.