The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
The Hospital Authority (HA) announced today (February 24) that Tin Shui Wai Hospital (TSWH) will utilise the entire 300 beds to receive COVID-19 patients from midnight Saturday (February 26) onwards. The contingency measure can help concentrating manpower and resources to care patients and cope with the severe epidemic situation.
The Hospital Chief Executive of TSWH, Dr Chong Yee-hung, said, “the Accident and Emergency Department (A&E) will maintain service, while ambulances will only send patients with emergent medical need to TSWH. Other patients will be diverted to Tuen Mun Hospital for treatment. For patients attended A&E on their own, service is not affected.”
Other patients currently hospitalised in TSWH will gradually be transferred to Tuen Mun Hospital, Pok Oi Hospital and other public hospitals, so as to vacate the beds for receiving COVID-19 patients. Specialist out-patient clinics (SOPC) will maintain services, amid stable patients will be arranged to refill drugs without consultation. Patients have appointment with allied health, radiology and hemodialysis services will be arranged to continue their treatment in other hospitals or through telecare. Affected patients will be notified by the staff members for the arrangements.
TSWH has planned a designated arrival and departure routes for COVID-19 patients in accordance with infection control guidelines to avoid overlapping with A&E and SOPC patients. The hospital has strengthened ventilation and provided proper personal protective equipment and infection control training to the staff, in order to safeguard the well-being of patients, staff members and residents in the community.
The HA expressed apology to the patients affected, appealed to patients and members of the public for understanding, and thanked for their co-operation. The HA will closely monitor the demand of healthcare services in Tin Shui Wai and the operation of TSWH to provide appropriate medical support to the residents in there.
Follow this news feed: East Asia