**************************************************
The Labour Department will open a new occupational health clinic in Fanling tomorrow (June 26) to enhance its occupational health service for the public in the New Territories.
The new clinic will complement the department's existing and only Occupational Health Clinic in Kwun Tong.
"With the concerted efforts of the Labour Department, the Occupational Safety and Health Council and other related organisations in promoting occupational safety and health, Hong Kong's workforce has become increasingly aware of occupational and work-related diseases in recent years. People tend to seek diagnosis and treatment of these diseases more readily," the Permanent Secretary for Economic Development and Labour (Labour), Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung said.
"The Kwun Tong Occupational Health Clinic, which is more convenient for patients from Hong Kong Island and Kowloon, is fast reaching saturation in its service. We need to set up another occupational health clinic and we have decided to locate it in Fanling to meet the growing needs for our occupational clinical service in the New Territories," he said.
Mr Cheung said that to underline the importance the Labour Department attached to providing a user-friendly service, both the new occupational health clinic in Fanling and the Kwun Tong Occupational Health Clinic would remain open on Saturday after July 1, 2006, despite the implementation of a five-day week in the civil service
As with clinical consultations currently provided by the Kwun Tong clinic, services at the new clinic will also be provided to enhance the health of the working population through prevention, diagnosis and treatment of occupational and work-related diseases.
The clinic provides clinical consultation and occupational health counselling service for workers. Workplace inspections are conducted when necessary to assess health hazards at work, and recommendations on preventive measures are given to employers to safeguard the health of workers.
The new clinic is situated at the seventh floor, Fanling Health Centre, 2 Pik Fung Road, Fanling and its opening hours are:
Monday to Friday 9am to 1pm
2pm to 5pm
Saturday 9am to 1pm
Any employee suspected to have work-related disease may telephone 3543 5701 for appointment booking.
Ends/Sunday, June 25, 2006
Issued at HKT 15:00
NNNN
