Hong Kong – Eight more Designated Clinics of Hospital Authority to cease operation and resume to provide General Out-patient Clinics services

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The Hospital Authority (HA) spokesman today (May 22) announced that eight more Designated Clinics for COVID-19 confirmed cases (see Annex 1) will cease operation on May 23 and resume to provide the services of General Out-patient Clinics (GOPCs) on May 24 subsequently.

      

     “The HA has been closely monitoring the epidemic situation and has adjusted our services in accordance to the epidemic development. Taking into consideration of the service demand for GOPC services and the recent development of epidemic situation, the HA will cease operation of the Designated Clinics for COVID-19 confirmed cases and resume the services of GOPC by phases. Following eight Designated Clinics ceased operation earlier, another eight Designated Clinics will cease operation on May 23 and resume the services of GOPCs on May 24 after thorough disinfection and cleaning. Lady Trench GOPC will resume evening clinic service on the same day,” the HA spokesman said.

      

     “Seven HA Designated Clinics will continue to provide services and support for the confirmed patients in the community (see Annex 2) after the Designated Clinics concerned ceased operation. Patients and their carers can make an appointment with a Designated Clinic by calling the selected Designated Clinic during the booking and service hours or booking via the “Book DC” function in the HA’s one-stop mobile app “HA Go”,” the spokesman added.

      

     As at 5pm on May 21, the Designated Clinics for COVID-19 confirmed cases have provided for a total of over 123 400 attendances, among these over 17 600 attendances were from appointments made via “Care Booking Line” for high-risk patients.

      

     The HA will communicate the service arrangement to the public and patients through different channels, including the display of notices at prominent places of the clinics, public media announcement, the publicity of the service arrangement via the HA website and to contact individual patients requiring follow-up, to ensure that members of public and patients are informed of the relevant service arrangement.

      

     The HA will continue closely monitor the epidemic situation and service needs, especially the situation after the relaxation of the social distancing measure and to adjust our services (including the services of designated clinics and GOPCs) in response to the epidemic situation and to provide appropriate treatment to needy patients.