The Grantham family

The small community in dormitory

In the bygone days, Wong Chuk Hang was inconvenient due to its remote location. In this connection, Grantham Hospital (GH) arranged shuttle bus service for colleagues travelling between the workplace and Hong Kong Island. Alternatively, those living in the dormitory would spend most of their time in the hospital, day in and day out. According to Dr Christina Maw, Hospital Chief Executive, the hospital is characterised by a strong human touch. The staff and patients have a close bond.

To Ying-chee, Operation Assistant II (Facility Management), who has been working in GH for more than 30 years, describes the hospital as a small community in the good old days. “It was just like different departments getting along with neighbours. Like every family, we always had dinner together after work and only went home during weekends.”

To Ying-chee says, in the early years, vehicle maintenance was also part of the duties of mechanics, who was also known as the ‘chief mechanic’.

To Ying-chee says, in the early years, vehicle maintenance was also part of the duties of mechanics, who was also known as the ‘chief mechanic’.

The vivid life at GH

In GH, the well-being of both patients and the staff are equally important. Throughout the years, staff had formed various organisations and activities, such as Grantham Hospital Ex-Patients’ Association, Recreation Club, and tug of war, etc. To Ying-chee, as an avid football player himself, had been part of the football team with his colleagues from other departments as well as being in a match against the staff of the then Nam Long Hospital, and even won the first runner-up in the HA Cluster Football Match.

Long-stay patients just like family

GH is celebrating the 30th anniversary of the very first heart transplant surgery in Hong Kong which was performed in the hospital in 1992. Dr Katherine Fan, Chief of Service of Cardiac Medicine, says the ‘big brother (i.e. the first heart transplant patient)’ is healthy and devoted to volunteer services. “Patients with end-stage organ failure require prolonged stay in hospital. Therefore, we have built a good rapport with the patients and come to know almost everything about them, such as their families, career and even the names of their pets. Whenever it comes to us that there are available organs for transplants, everyone in the wards will rejoice at the good news.”

The hospital has set several milestones, including the first heart-lung transplant in 1995, the first double-lung transplant in 1997 and the first cardiac intervention with the drug-eluting stent in the Mainland, Taiwan and Hong Kong in 2002. It was until 2008, the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery was relocated to Queen Mary Hospital. The heart and lung transplants were also performed there since then.

The golden days of ‘meal ticket’

In one of those good old times, five meals a day including refreshments and midnight snacks were offered at the GH canteen. For as much rice and soup as they wanted, all the staff needed to do was to sign next to their uniform number on the logbook. The delicacies still hold a special place in the heart of senior staff. In the 80s, the canteen started to charge in the form of meal ticket, which was eligible for use on designated date. The ticket price for breakfast was $1, an extra $1 for the tea set and $3 for lunch, and the price increased some years later.