Following is a question by the Hon Lam So-wai and a written reply by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, in the Legislative Council today (March 29):

Question:

     Quite a number of carers of the elderly and persons with disabilities (PWDs) have relayed that there is a lack of emergency respite and emergency home care services for the elderly and PWDs in Hong Kong, resulting in some carers who were taken ill during late hours having to give up receiving treatment in hospitals. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) whether it will examine the provision of subsidised emergency respite and emergency home care services for the elderly and PWDs to be operated round-the-clock in all districts in Hong Kong; if so, of the details and the timetable; if not, the reasons for that; and

(2) given that under the Emergency Placement for the Elderly and the Residential Respite Service for the Elderly, if short-term residential care service is needed urgently during non-office hours, elderly persons, their family members or their carers may directly approach the private residential care homes for the elderly under the Enhanced Bought Place Scheme providing designated residential respite places for arrangement, but quite a number of elderly persons and their family members have indicated that under those services, it is quite difficult to identify a residential place which is available for admission on the same day, whether the Government will enhance the provision of those services; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

Reply:

President,

     The reply to the Member's question is provided below:

     As at end-February 2023, the Social Welfare Department (SWD) provides about 240 day respite service places and about 330 residential respite service places for elderly persons, and about 170 day respite service places and about 390 residential respite service places for persons with disabilities. In addition, the Government provides home-based support services (including home respite service) for elderly persons and persons with disabilities through the Integrated Home Care Services (Frail Cases), the Enhanced Home and Community Care Services, the Home Care Service for Persons with Severe Disabilities and the Integrated Support Service for Persons with Severe Physical Disabilities.

     To strengthen support for carers, the SWD will continue to increase day and residential respite service places. In 2022-23 and 2023-24, the SWD will provide about 30 additional day respite service places for elderly persons and a total of about 60 additional day and residential respite service places for persons with disabilities. The SWD will continue to provide additional day respite service places in the newly set up subsidised day care centres/units for the elderly, and provide additional respite service places in the newly set up District Support Centres for Persons with Disabilities, subvented residential care homes for persons with disabilities (RCHDs) and RCHDs participating in the Bought Place Scheme for Private Residential Care Homes for Persons with Disabilities (BPS).

     Respite service users are not required to undergo the standardised care need assessment mechanism and can directly approach service units for enquiry and application. Persons in need may also be referred by the Integrated Family Service Centres/Integrated Services Centres, the Medical Social Services Units, elderly service units, special schools or rehabilitation service units. Subvented service centres/units and residential care homes (RCHs) will handle the applications for day and residential respite service as soon as possible according to case conditions. If elderly persons or persons with disabilities have urgent short-term residential care needs during non-office hours (Note), they or their carers can directly approach RCHs providing designated respite places under the Enhanced Bought Place Scheme and the BPS. If there is a need for other services, RCHs will refer the elderly persons or persons with disabilities to relevant service units for follow-up after their admission.

     In December 2019, the SWD launched the Vacancy Enquiry System for Residential Respite Service for Persons with Disabilities, Residential Respite Service for the Elderly and Emergency Placement for the Elderly to enable service users and their carers to obtain information on available residential respite service places. The SWD plans to enhance the Vacancy Enquiry System in mid-2023 so as to cover information on day respite service.

     Furthermore, the SWD will commission a non-governmental organisation to operate the Designated Hotline for Carer Support (DHCS). The DHCS is expected to be set up in the third quarter of 2023 with professional social workers providing 24-hour instant consultation, counselling, outreaching, emergency support and referral services.

Note: Monday to Saturday from 5pm to 9am of the following day, and Sunday and public holiday from 9am to 9am of the following day.

Ends/Wednesday, March 29, 2023
Issued at HKT 11:07

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