General out-patient clinic services during Chinese New Year holidays
********************************************************************
The Hospital Authority (HA) today (February 14) announced that the 12 holiday general out-patient clinics (GOPCs) (see table below) will increase their service quota by more than 1,600 in the coming Chinese New Year holidays (February 16 to 19) to cope with the anticipated demand under the current winter surge period. Members of the public are reminded to make advance booking through the telephone system as usual for appointments. The HA earlier announced that the total GOPC quota will be increased by 23,000 throughout the winter surge period.
The Accident and Emergency (A&E) Departments of public hospitals will also remain open as usual to serve the public with urgent medical needs during the Chinese New Year holidays.
The Chairman of the HA's Coordinating Committee (A&E), Dr Li Kai-ming, said more patients are expected at A&E Departments during extended holidays. A&E doctors will accord priority treatment to patients with critical and emergency conditions as assessed under the established triage system, while semi-urgent and non-urgent patients might have to wait longer for consultation and treatment. He appealed to the general public for understanding and co-operation during the wait.
"The extended four-day Chinese New Year holidays will start this Friday, and our previous experience tells us that public demand for A&E services will gradually increase, especially in the latter part of the holidays and also on the first working day following the extended holidays. The latest A&E waiting time information is available on the HA website and in the 'HA Touch' mobile app. As an alternative, non-urgent patients are advised to consider seeking consultation at general out-patient clinics or primary clinics of private doctors."
Dr Li also took the opportunity to remind people travelling outside Hong Kong during the holidays to avoid contact with birds or poultry and to reveal their travel history to healthcare staff when seeking medical consultation. The general public should adopt a healthy lifestyle such as covering the nose and mouth when coughing and sneezing, maintaining proper hand hygiene and putting on a mask when developing symptoms of respiratory infections in order to avoid further spread of disease.
To facilitate public understanding of public hospital services during the winter surge, A&E waiting time information, key statistics such as A&E attendance, the medical in-patient bed occupancy rate and hyperlinks to private healthcare services websites are available on the HA website (www.ha.org.hk/goto/wintersurge/en) and in the "HA Touch" mobile app. Members of the public are welcome to call the following hotlines for required information:
- HA Infoline: 2882 4866;
- Hong Kong Medical Association website: www.hkma.org; and
- Hong Kong Medical Association Medilink: 90000-222-322 (operating from February 16 to 19).
The HA wishes every member of the public a healthy and prosperous Year of the Dog.
Public Holiday Clinics
| District | Name of clinic | Telephone number for booking | General enquiries |
| Hong Kong Island |
Shau Kei Wan Jockey Club General Out-patient Clinic | 3157 0077 | 2560 0211 |
| Violet Peel General Out-patient Clinic | 3157 0000 | 3553 3116 | |
| Aberdeen Jockey Club General Out-patient Clinic | 3543 5011 | 2555 0381 | |
| Kowloon | Kwun Tong Community Health Centre | 3157 0687 | 2389 0331 |
| Our Lady of Maryknoll Hospital Family Medicine Clinic | 3157 0118 | 2354 2267 | |
| Robert Black General Out-patient Clinic (Holiday clinic service is now provided at Our Lady of Maryknoll Hospital Family Medicine Clinic due to renovation works currently under way.) |
3157 0113 | 2383 3311 | |
| Yau Ma Tei Jockey Club General Out-patient Clinic | 3157 0880 | 2272 2400 | |
| New Territories | Lady Trench General Out-patient Clinic | 3157 0107 | 2614 4789 |
| Lek Yuen General Out-patient Clinic | 3157 0972 | 2692 8730 | |
| Shek Wu Hui Jockey Club General Out-patient Clinic | 3157 0965 | 2670 0211 | |
| Tai Po Jockey Club General Out-patient Clinic | 3157 0906 | 2664 2039 | |
| Tuen Mun Clinic | 3543 0886 | 2452 9111 | |
| Yuen Long Jockey Club Health Centre | 3543 5007 | 2443 8511 |
Consultation Hours:
February 16 and 19 (Friday and Monday)
9am to 1pm and 2pm to 5pm
February 17 and 18 (Saturday and Sunday)
9am to 1pm
Ends/Wednesday, February 14, 2018
Issued at HKT 12:10
Issued at HKT 12:10
NNNN