The Secretary for Food and Health, Professor Sophia Chan, officiated at the opening ceremony of the Tai Po District Health Centre Express (DHC Express) today (December 16). The official launch of this additional DHC Express will give new impetus to the Government's strategy of reinforcing the primary healthcare system.
The Tai Po DHC Express is operated by the United Christian Medical Service (UCMS). Speaking at the ceremony, Professor Chan said, "The public healthcare system in Hong Kong is currently facing great challenges in the midst of the rapidly ageing population and increasing prevalence of chronic diseases. We need to put forward different measures in order to meet the surging healthcare needs. As the vital parts of the primary healthcare system, the DHCs and DHC Expresses will provide the public with various government-subsidised primary healthcare services through our multi-disciplinary teams with a view to shifting the emphasis of the present healthcare system and the public mindset from treatment-oriented to prevention-focused.
"The UCMS is a pioneer of primary healthcare development in Hong Kong. Leveraging the concept of 'hospital without walls', the UCMS has been extending healthcare services to the community. I am delighted to know that the Tai Po DHC Express bonds with the primary healthcare service providers within or in adjacent districts, including doctors and Chinese medicine practitioners, to form a community-based network. The DHC Express also provides assessment and preventive training and care programmes on mild cognitive impairment as well as fall-prevention training to elderly people so that the local community can receive timely care and services."
Moreover, in a bid to prevent unnecessary readmission of patients, the DHC Express collaborates closely with the New Territories East Cluster of the Hospital Authority, especially Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital and Tai Po Hospital, to organise different activities and arrange necessary primary healthcare services for discharged patients.
Professor Chan noted that apart from serving at the core centre and six fixed service points, the Tai Po DHC Express is also in collaboration with the Tai Po Rural Committee to set up multiple service points in its village offices as a facilitation measure to those living in the villages and relatively remote areas. These service points will offer one-stop primary healthcare services including health promotion, nurse counselling, health risk factors assessment, health management classes and chronic disease management.
Since its soft launch in mid-October, the Tai Po DHC Express had recruited over 550 members and completed health risk factor assessments for over half of these members by the end of November.
The core centre of the Tai Po DHC Express is located at Shop Nos. F115-116, 1/F, Fu Shin Shopping Centre, while the six fixed service points are set up at the Remembrance Of Grace Church Tai Po Church, the Tai Po Baptist Church Charis Circle, the Church of Christ in China Kei To Tai Po Church, the Chaplaincy Department of Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital, the Kwong Fuk Good Neighbour Network and Hong Kong Federation of Women's Centres Jockey Club Tai Wo Centre. Mobile service points will be available at various village offices under the Tai Po Rural Committee.
For more information on the Tai Po DHC Express, please visit www.dhc.gov.hk or call the Tai Po DHC Express hotline at 2468 2268.
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