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Rehabilitation - a HKDF Perspective

SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS
TO REHABILITATION - A HKDF PERSPECTIVE

1. The Central Registry for Rehabilitation be renamed the Central Registry for Prevention and Rehabilitation (CRPR) (1.4).
2. The CRPR's database system should be established as the hub of a lifelong follow-up system (1.5).
3. All providers of rehabilitation services should be linked into the CRPR in one single compatible computer system (1.6).
4. Various reporting measures are recommended to increase the ability to identify the impaired and disabled in the community (1.7.1 - 1.7.6 & 1.8).
5. The confidentiality of all information held in the CRPR databases must be rigorously protected (1.9).
6. Neonatal examinations should be made compulsory
7. Regular and frequent campaigns to publicize the availability of all services to the public to assist in the prevention of impairments and disabilities should be carried out by the government (2.4)
8. A review of the present legislation in respect of safety in the workplace and the adequacy of the resources to enforce it should be carried out (2.5).
9. The wearing of seatbelts by all passengers in vehicles should be made compulsory (2.6).
10. An examination of the adequacy of legislation and the resources for its enforcement in respect of environmental pollution that has the potential to cause impairments and disabilities should be carried out (2.7).
11. A review body is needed to monitor the effectiveness and relevance of government publicity on safety in the home and on the roads (2.8).
12. Multi-disciplinary Departments of Rehabilitation should be established in the Regional Hospitals (3.1).
13. The Speciality of Medical Rehabilitation should be established (3.3).
14. The Subspecialities of Geriatric Rehabilitation, Psychogeriatrics and Community Psychiatry should be established (3.4).
15. Increased emphasis on integrating rehabilitation services within the community environment is called for (3.5).
16. An extended period of free education should be available to the impaired and disabled who require such assistance (4.1).
17. Improved facilities for the integration of the impaired and disabled into the ordinary school system are called for (4~2).
18. Improvements in the provision of pre-school education for the impaired and disabled are needed (4.3).
19. Greater effort should be made to ensure those impaired and disabled persons who would benefit from adult education can receive it (4.4).
20. Regular reviews are required of Vocational Training programmes to ensure these are relevant to the changing economic structure (5.1).
21. A liaison mechanism between the various forms of special employment and the commercial sector should be instituted so that these can operate in a more commercially relevant environment (5.2).
22. The government should increase efforts to encourage integration of the impaired and disabled into open employment (5.3).
23. Priority should be given to the disabled in the allocation of accommodation under the Home Ownership Scheme (6.1.1).
24. Residential accommodation provided by the government for the impaired and disabled should follow normal living conditions as closely as possible (6.1.2).
25. The coverage of regulation 72 of the Building (Planning) Regulations and the Design Manual should be extended to include private buildings and the domestic parts of composite buildings (6.2.1).
26. Consideration should be given to implementing some degree of conversion in existing buildings to compliance with regulation 72 (6.2.2).
27. The government is urged to take action to improve access to all public places for the disabled (6.2.4).
28. A special task force should be set up to examine ways to improve the accessibility to public transport for the disabled (6.3.1).
29. The introduction of a pilot Adapted Bus Service scheme in called for (6.3.2).
30. Consideration should be given to the introduction of a Mobility Allowance (6.3.3).
31. Equitable access in respect of all existing government and Municipal Council recreation facilities and, where necessary, the provision of special facilities within these complexes, is called for (6.4.1).
32. A long term public education strategy regarding the impaired and disabled is required (6.5.1).
33. More extensive use of subtitles for the deaf by the TV media should be required by the government as a condition off franchise (6.6.2).
34. A greater provision of information for the visually impaired should be offered (6.6.3).
35. A comprehensive review of the present management structure within government for the provision of rehabilitation services and the status of the Commissioner of Rehabilitation is needed (7.1.3 - 7.1.4).
36. A Rehabilitation Manpower Planning Unit should be established by the Health and Welfare Branch (7.2.1).
37. The Rehabilitation Coordinating Committee's responsibilities should be expanded (7.2.2).
38. Greater emphasis needs to be put on the provision and training of rehabilitation specialists (7.2.3.1 - 7.2.3.3).
39. Serious consideration should be given to adopting a system of central funding for all types of rehabilitation services by the government (7.3.1.1 - 7.3.1.2).
40. The concept of providing various types and standards of service on a "fee charging" basis should be pursued (7.3.2 -7.3.2.1).
41. Present shortfalls in the provision of places in various rehabilitation services and facilities should be made up within five years (8.1 - 8.1.1).
42. The legislative requirements of the proposals in paragraphs 1.7.1 - 1.7.4, 1.8, 2.1 and 2.5 -2.7 of the submission need to be implemented (9.1).
43. The Law Reform Commission should review existing legislative provisions to ensure the rights of the impaired and disabled are adequately protected (9.2).

15 June 1992