Page 162 - HA Convention 2016 [Full Version]

HOSPITAL AUTHORITY CONVENTION 2016 Special Topics

T8.1 Nursing: Helping the Elderly Patients in the Community 09:00 Theatre 2

Enabling Elders to Stay Active and Healthy in our Community: Health Promotion in Diets and Physical Activities
Chan ACM
Equal Opportunities Commission, Hong Kong

Population ageing strikes Asia at a speed and a scale unprecedented in history. Not only the size of the older population (i.e.
65+) is going to be the largest, older people in Japan and Hong Kong are the longest living (with an average life expectancy at
birth exceeding 86 years of age at present). The change to an elderly-focused (i.e. with chronic illnesses) healthcare system
also requires a shift from acute curative operation to one that encourages health promotion and illness prevention at an early
age, supported in parallel with a firm system of community rehabilitation care. What is needed first and foremost is a change
of mindset resulting from a real life collaboration – a thinking and an acceptance that the many-helping-hands approach
(e.g. cross disciplines and cross sectors collaborations) is the only possible way for seamless social and healthcare, as well
that ordinary people including our relatives and neighbours (so called informal care givers) could provide certain level of care
complementing the highly skilled, but expensive and number-limited, professional care givers (e.g. social workers, nurses,
occupational therapists, physiotherapists, etc.). So a collaborative working model involving all stakeholders (i.e. family and
community volunteers, social and healthcare workers) seems desirable. The Department of Health goes along with this
thinking and adopts the active ageing philosophy to maintain our general population’s continual active living by promoting
healthy diets and physical activities. An implementation strategy consisting of five priority areas (1. generate an effective
information system; 2. support health promotion activities; 3. strengthening partnership; 4. building capacity; and 5. securing
resources), 14 recommendations and 30 corresponding actions have been proposed since 2011 — this paper supports the
same strategy to apply to our older population. Corresponding actions will be illustrated and discussed.

T8.2 Nursing: Helping the Elderly Patients in the Community 09:00 Theatre 2

Wednesday, 4 May Hong Kong Community Nursing Service: Past, Present and Future
Chan WMM
Community Nursing Service and Community Health, Kowloon West Cluster, Hospital Authority, Hong Kong

Demographic changes brought by the fast-growing ageing population have resulted in a drastic increase in the demand
for elderly healthcare services in Hong Kong. The role of community nursing and its mode of service delivery are inevitably
required to modify so as to meet the emerging needs generated from the healthcare system.

At present, Community Nursing Service (CNS) is a major nursing workforce under the HA in providing community care and
health support to patients and carers of all ages at home setting. The key scope of service covers early discharge support,
health maintenance, patient empowerment and carer support, regular disease monitoring and management. Being an integral
part of commissioned service areas in the HA, a review on current community outreaching service delivery model was
conducted in 2015.

The new strategic direction emphasises on building an integrated model of care in the community, improving service quality
and efficiency, enhancing patient empowerment and strengthening collaboration with other organisations.

The key drivers for effective achievement of new strategic direction and goals include: (1) Enhance service organisation and
management structure; (2) develop sustainable workforce and staff mix; (3) foster competency through training and rotation
programmes; (4) enhance information technology system and mobile device performance; and (5) enhance care plan to
improve standard of practices.

Collaborative efforts from all stakeholders on new direction of CNS will likely lead to increased efficiency and offer more
effective alternatives to hospital-based nursing care in face of growing demand and yielding sustainable long-term success in
healthcare.

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