 Challenges in Psychiatry and Psychiatric Services of Hong Kong
ABSTRACT
Professor Char-Nie CHEN
OBF. JP MB MSC FRcpsych FRANZCP FAPA. FHKCPsych. FHKAM(Psychiatry), DPM
Currently, Chairman, Hong Kong Advisory Council on AIDS;
Formerly, Chair Professor, Dept. of Psychiatry, Chinese University of Hong Kong;
Head, Shaw College, Chinese University of Hong Kong;
President, Hong Kong College of Psychiatrists; and
President, Pacific Rim College of Psychiatrists.
Psychiatric Services rely upon supports from financial resources, human resources and quality teaching. In the l980s, the change of economic condition in Hong Kong coupled with the establishment of a new medical school with its input of medical teachers mainly from the United Kingdom and other Western countries have helped to create an environment for changes to take place in psychiatric services. These changes have continued after the return of sovereignty to China.
First, changes in better quality teaching in undergraduate psychiatric education has recruited high-quality medical students to take up their career in psychiatry This has made psychiatry in the social map as one of 1he major c1inical specialties.
Second, postgraduate clinical training under Hong Kong College of Psychiatrists has also become decentralized, which demands improvement of clinical facilities and professional training in all district general hospitals and regional psychiatric hospitals.
Third, annual professional examinations for college membership and fe11owship are held jointly between Hong Kong College of Psychiatrists and Royal College of Psychiatrists, United Kingdom. This ensures that the quality of training is in par with that in the United Kingdom.
Fourth, the multitude of community services with the backing of Hong Kong Government has made advances in psychiatric community care in Hong Kong. Rehabilitation is no longer a term applied in in-patient services, it has been extended to multiple community services by many non-government organizations (NGOs). In recent years, commercialized company has been set up to provide better supported employment for the mentally ill people.
Edited by Zou Yizhuang |
Ministry of Health, (2003) No.013
ICP:No.040657