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LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 7 January 2015 4273 OFFICIAL RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Wednesday, 7 January 2015 The Council met at Eleven o'clock MEMBERS PRESENT: THE PRESIDENT THE HONOURABLE JASPER TSANG YOK-SING, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE ALBERT HO CHUN-YAN THE HONOURABLE LEE CHEUK-YAN THE HONOURABLE JAMES TO KUN-SUN THE HONOURABLE CHAN KAM-LAM, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE LEUNG YIU-CHUNG DR THE HONOURABLE LAU WONG-FAT, G.B.M., G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE EMILY LAU WAI-HING, J.P. THE HONOURABLE TAM YIU-CHUNG, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE ABRAHAM SHEK LAI-HIM, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE TOMMY CHEUNG YU-YAN, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE FREDERICK FUNG KIN-KEE, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE VINCENT FANG KANG, S.B.S., J.P. 4274 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 7 January 2015 THE HONOURABLE WONG KWOK-HING, B.B.S., M.H. PROF THE HONOURABLE JOSEPH LEE KOK-LONG, S.B.S., J.P., Ph.D., R.N. THE HONOURABLE JEFFREY LAM KIN-FUNG, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE ANDREW LEUNG KWAN-YUEN, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE WONG TING-KWONG, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE RONNY TONG KA-WAH, S.C. THE HONOURABLE CYD HO SAU-LAN, J.P. THE HONOURABLE STARRY LEE WAI-KING, J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE LAM TAI-FAI, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHAN HAK-KAN, J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHAN KIN-POR, B.B.S., J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE PRISCILLA LEUNG MEI-FUN, S.B.S., J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE LEUNG KA-LAU THE HONOURABLE CHEUNG KWOK-CHE THE HONOURABLE WONG KWOK-KIN, S.B.S. THE HONOURABLE IP KWOK-HIM, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE PAUL TSE WAI-CHUN, J.P. THE HONOURABLE ALAN LEONG KAH-KIT, S.C. THE HONOURABLE LEUNG KWOK-HUNG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 7 January 2015 4275 THE HONOURABLE ALBERT CHAN WAI-YIP THE HONOURABLE WONG YUK-MAN THE HONOURABLE CLAUDIA MO THE HONOURABLE JAMES TIEN PEI-CHUN, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE NG LEUNG-SING, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE STEVEN HO CHUN-YIN THE HONOURABLE FRANKIE YICK CHI-MING THE HONOURABLE WU CHI-WAI, M.H. THE HONOURABLE YIU SI-WING THE HONOURABLE GARY FAN KWOK-WAI THE HONOURABLE MA FUNG-KWOK, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHARLES PETER MOK, J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHAN CHI-CHUEN THE HONOURABLE CHAN HAN-PAN, J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE KENNETH CHAN KA-LOK THE HONOURABLE CHAN YUEN-HAN, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE LEUNG CHE-CHEUNG, B.B.S., M.H., J.P. THE HONOURABLE KENNETH LEUNG THE HONOURABLE ALICE MAK MEI-KUEN, J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE KWOK KA-KI 4276 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 7 January 2015 THE HONOURABLE KWOK WAI-KEUNG THE HONOURABLE DENNIS KWOK THE HONOURABLE CHRISTOPHER CHEUNG WAH-FUNG, S.B.S., J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE FERNANDO CHEUNG CHIU-HUNG THE HONOURABLE SIN CHUNG-KAI, S.B.S., J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE HELENA WONG PIK-WAN THE HONOURABLE IP KIN-YUEN DR THE HONOURABLE ELIZABETH QUAT, J.P. THE HONOURABLE MARTIN LIAO CHEUNG-KONG, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE POON SIU-PING, B.B.S., M.H. THE HONOURABLE TANG KA-PIU, J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE CHIANG LAI-WAN, J.P. IR DR THE HONOURABLE LO WAI-KWOK, B.B.S., M.H., J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHUNG KWOK-PAN THE HONOURABLE CHRISTOPHER CHUNG SHU-KUN, B.B.S., M.H., J.P. THE HONOURABLE TONY TSE WAI-CHUEN, B.B.S. MEMBERS ABSENT: THE HONOURABLE MRS REGINA IP LAU SUK-YEE, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE MICHAEL TIEN PUK-SUN, B.B.S., J.P. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 7 January 2015 4277 PUBLIC OFFICERS ATTENDING: THE HONOURABLE MRS CARRIE LAM CHENG YUET-NGOR, G.B.S., J.P. THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR ADMINISTRATION THE HONOURABLE JOHN TSANG CHUN-WAH, G.B.M., J.P. THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY THE HONOURABLE RIMSKY YUEN KWOK-KEUNG, S.C., J.P. THE SECRETARY FOR JUSTICE MR YAU SHING-MU, J.P. SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT AND HOUSING THE HONOURABLE TSANG TAK-SING, G.B.S., J.P. SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS THE HONOURABLE MATTHEW CHEUNG KIN-CHUNG, G.B.S., J.P. SECRETARY FOR LABOUR AND WELFARE PROF THE HONOURABLE K C CHAN, G.B.S., J.P. SECRETARY FOR FINANCIAL SERVICES AND THE TREASURY THE HONOURABLE GREGORY SO KAM-LEUNG, G.B.S., J.P. SECRETARY FOR COMMERCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THE HONOURABLE RAYMOND TAM CHI-YUEN, G.B.S., J.P. SECRETARY FOR CONSTITUTIONAL AND MAINLAND AFFAIRS THE HONOURABLE LAI TUNG-KWOK, S.B.S., I.D.S.M., J.P. SECRETARY FOR SECURITY MR KEVIN YEUNG YUN-HUNG, J.P. SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION THE HONOURABLE PAUL TANG KWOK-WAI, J.P. SECRETARY FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE 4278 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 7 January 2015 DR THE HONOURABLE KO WING-MAN, B.B.S., J.P. SECRETARY FOR FOOD AND HEALTH THE HONOURABLE WONG KAM-SING, J.P. SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT THE HONOURABLE PAUL CHAN MO-PO, M.H., J.P. SECRETARY FOR DEVELOPMENT MR SHIU SIN-POR, S.B.S., J.P. HEAD, CENTRAL POLICY UNIT MS FLORENCE HUI HIU-FAI, S.B.S., J.P. UNDER SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS PROF SOPHIA CHAN SIU-CHEE, J.P. UNDER SECRETARY FOR FOOD AND HEALTH CLERKS IN ATTENDANCE: MR KENNETH CHEN WEI-ON, S.B.S., SECRETARY GENERAL MRS JUSTINA LAM CHENG BO-LING, DEPUTY SECRETARY GENERAL MISS FLORA TAI YIN-PING, ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL MISS ODELIA LEUNG HING-YEE, ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL MR MATTHEW LOO, ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 7 January 2015 4279 PRESIDENT (in Cantonese): Will the Clerk please ring the bell to summon Members to the Chamber. (After the summoning bell had been rung, a number of Members entered the Chamber) TABLING OF PAPERS The following papers were laid on the table under Rule 21(2) of the Rules of Procedure: Subsidiary Legislation/Instruments L.N. No. Prisons (Amendment) (No. 2) Order 2014 ......................... 157/2014 Drug Addiction Treatment Centre (Nei Kwu Correctional Institution) (Amendment) Order 2014 ................... 158/2014 Drug Addiction Treatment Centre (Lai King Correctional Institution) (Amendment) Order 2014 ................... 159/2014 Banking (Disclosure) (Amendment) Rules 2014 ............... 160/2014 Employment (Amendment) Ordinance 2014 (Commencement) Notice ........................................ 1/2015 Other Paper Report No. 8/14-15 of the House Committee on Consideration of Subsidiary Legislation and Other Instruments ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS PRESIDENT (in Cantonese): Questions. First question. 4280 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 7 January 2015 Provision of Medical Beds in Public Hospitals 1. DR LEUNG KA-LAU (in Cantonese): President, I have recently received complaints that the management personnel of a public hospital reduced the number of medical beds in that hospital on their own volition without seeking their supervisors' prior approval, thereby affecting the services provided to patients. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council: (1) whether it knows the actual numbers of medical beds providing in-patient care in various public hospitals at present, as well as whether there is any difference between such numbers and the planned numbers of such beds; of the relevant numbers in each of the past five years; (2) whether it knows if the Hospital Authority (HA) will conduct an investigation into the aforesaid incident of reduction in the number of medical beds and assess the impact of the incident on the services provided to patients, including whether patients in the Accident and Emergency Department waited for a longer time before admission to the medical wards as a result; if the HA will conduct such an investigation, of the details; if the HA will not, the reasons for that; and (3) how the Government monitors if the actual numbers of various types of in-patient beds in public hospitals differ from the respective planned numbers, for instance, whether a Hospital Chief Executive is required to report to the Chief Executive of HA and the Secretary for Food and Health prior to reducing the number of in-patient beds of a particular specialty; if there is such a requirement, of the details; if not, the reasons for that? SECRETARY FOR FOOD AND HEALTH (in Cantonese): President, the Hospital Authority (HA) manages all public hospitals in Hong Kong. It is projected that the HA will be providing a total of 27 645 hospital beds as at 31 March 2015. Beds may be classified, in terms of types, into general beds, infirmary beds, beds for the mentally ill and beds for the mentally handicapped. General beds are further classified into beds for major specialties, for example, LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 7 January 2015 4281 medicine, surgery, gynaecology, obstetrics, paediatrics, orthopaedics and otorhinolaryngology, and so on, and beds for other sub-specialties like oncology, neurosurgery and emergency medicine. The HA will assess the demand for different types of beds as well as the demand for beds among different specialties having regard to the number of patients, types of diseases and severity of patients' conditions. The HA will then allocate hospital beds taking into account the actual circumstances and the healthcare model to cater for the needs of patients. Given the varying seasonal demand, the HA will temporarily provide additional beds as appropriate. For example, the HA is planning to provide 282 additional beds during winter surge this year to meet extra demand. Concomitant with the growth and ageing of population, we understand that the demand for healthcare services in the community, especially the demand for hospital beds, will continue to increase. Over the years, the HA has rolled out various measures to reduce public demand for in-patient services.

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