Hong Kong West Cluster (HKWC)

The Hong Kong West Cluster (HKWC) serves an estimated population of 0.55 million covering the Central, Western and Southern districts of the Hong Kong Island. The Cluster comprises seven hospitals and six satellite institutions.

The seven hospitals are The Duchess of Kent Children’s Hospital (DKCH), TWGHs Fung Yiu King Hospital (FYKH), Grantham Hospital (GH), MacLehose Medical Rehabilitation Centre (MMRC), Queen Mary Hospital (QMH), Tsan Yuk Hospital (TYH) and Tung Wah Hospital (TWH). The six satellite institutions are David Trench Rehabilitation Centre (DTRC) and five general out-patient clinics. Apart from providing a comprehensive range of healthcare services to the residents in its catchment area, the Cluster is well known for tertiary and quaternary services that serve the whole population of Hong Kong.

HKWC continues to strengthen partnership with Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine of The University of Hong Kong in supporting undergraduate and postgraduate medical education and training, research and development, as well as innovations in health care technology and services. QMH received the Reader’s Digest Trusted Brands Gold Award again in 2012. Winning the Award six years in a row from 2007 to 2012 reflects continuous trust and confidence of the community in the hospital.

Key Achievements

To reduce avoidable hospitalisation of high risk elderly patients, HKWC commenced needs assessment and case management for patients in need. Through multi-disciplinary team approach, 136 patients with end-stage organ failures received palliative care in the community. Haemodialysis service for patients with end-stage renal disease was improved by expanding hospital haemodialysis and home haemodialysis.

Neonatal intensive care service was enhanced with higher nurse-supervisor ratio, additional support workers and training programme for new comers. A two-bed ventilator ward was established in the Department of Medicine of QMH to lessen the pressure of managing ventilated patients in general ward and provide better care to patients. Three acute stroke high dependency beds were added in the Acute Stroke Unit to enhance delivery of 24-hour service to patients requiring thrombolytic treatment.

In response to crisis situations involving patients with mental illness in the community, a Rapid Crisis Intervention Team was set up to enhance community psychiatric service and an integrated mental health programme was launched.

Recognising the importance of continuous improvement of service quality and safety, and aligning with international benchmark, TWH has started preparing for hospital accreditation including hospital-wide integrated quality and safety round, initial self assessment, hospital-wide quality improvement projects and meeting with consultants of Australian Council of Healthcare Standards.

Service for children with autism spectrum disorder was strengthened through a multi-disciplinary autistic service team delivering timely assessment for early diagnosis and intensive intervention. Child and adolescent psychiatric service was also enhanced for patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Anaesthetic service was enhanced to ensure compliance with safety standards through recruiting more staff and strengthening training for staff of strategic areas, such as the Endoscopy Unit, in monitoring and administering procedural sedation.

To keep abreast of medical technology development, buildings were renovated to facilitate provision of quality service in a modern environment. DTRC was relocated in April 2011 from Bonham Road to the ex-Upper Level Police Station to make way for the construction of MTR West Island line. A six-storey high new wing was built apart from revitalising the old building. The new rehabilitation centre not only provides service users with a more comfortable environment, but also facilitates staff in delivering community based rehabilitation services.

The conversion of conventional operating theatres at QMH into a Minimally Invasive Surgery Centre with humanistic design and theme on “where there is care, there is hope” was completed on 13 June 2011. The centre has four operating rooms equipped with state-of-the-art facilities for different types of minimally invasive surgery and endovascular surgery. Patients receiving surgery would have minimal scarring, less post-operative pain, faster recovery and shorter length of hospital stay.

The Integrated Diabetes Care Centre was set up in November 2011 to provide patients suffering from diabetes mellitus with one-stop service for diabetes complication assessment, cardiovascular risk factors assessment, and education by diabetes nurse specialist, as well as treatment by diabetologist.

In line with the corporate direction of developing a people-oriented culture, HKWC has improved facilities and amenities for staff members so as to provide a supportive work environment. The QMH Nurses Alumni Engagement Committee was formed to engage nurse alumni of the hospital to foster affiliation and encourage them to rejoin the workforce.