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Highlights of the Year 2019-20

Working Group on the Review of Ordinances and Codes of Practice for Residential Care Homes

  • In order to further enhance the monitoring of residential care homes (RCHs), SWD established the Working Group on the Review of Ordinances and Codes of Practice for Residential Care Homes in June 2017 to review the Residential Care Homes (Elderly Persons) Ordinance (Cap. 459) and Residential Care Homes (Persons with Disabilities) Ordinance (Cap. 613) and the relevant Codes of Practice, identify areas for improvement and explore feasible measures, and make concrete amendment proposals. The review was completed in May 2019. The Working Group put forward 19 recommendations in 8 aspects, including the classification of RCHs, statutory minimum staffing requirements of RCHs, statutory minimum floor space per resident of RCHs, requirements on operators of RCHs, registration systems for home managers and health workers of RCHs, age of residents, penalties, etc.
  • Some of the recommendations put forth by the Working Group involve the Code of Practice for Residential Care Homes (Elderly Persons) and the Code of Practice for Residential Care Homes (Persons with Disabilities), which have been updated and put in place since January 2020 after 4 briefing sessions conducted in November 2019. Regarding the recommendations in relation to legislative amendments, the Government has conducted engagement sessions with stakeholders in 2020, and is preparing the amendment bill for the scrutiny of the Legislative Council.

Licensing Scheme for Residential Care Homes for Persons With Disabilities (RCHDs)

  • The Residential Care Homes (Persons with Disabilities) Ordinance has been effective from 18 November 2011 and has been fully implemented since 10 June 2013. The Ordinance regulates the residential care service of RCHDs through a licensing scheme administered by the Director of Social Welfare (DSW). RCHDs that existed before the commencement of the Ordinance but were not yet able to fully comply with the licensing requirements may apply for Certificates of Exemption (CoEs), so as to allow time for them to carry out improvement works to comply with the licensing requirements and standards.
  • To assist RCHDs operating with CoEs in expediting the necessary rectification works, SWD has implemented various facilitating measures, which include providing RCHDs with subsidies under the Lotteries Fund (LF) to carry out improvement works, implementing the LF-funded Financial Assistance Scheme for private RCHDs and increasing the subsidy level to 90% of the recognised cost of the improvement works, streamlining the workflow of engaging authorised persons for the provision of technical support, preparing document templates to expedite the application process and vetting procedures for the use of LF, speeding up and streamlining the application procedures and the use of LF, streamlining the procedures for handling reimbursement applications, and providing additional technical support for RCHDs having difficulties in taking forward the rectification works. A dedicated team has been set up since October 2017 to assist RCHDs operating under CoEs in expediting the commencement of the required works.
  • As at 31 March 2020, 315 out of 323 (i.e. 98%) RCHDs have fully met the licensing requirements. SWD will continue to work closely with the remaining 8 RCHDs whose CoEs have been renewed to allow time for them to complete the rectification works.

Training Subsidy Scheme for Staff of Residential Care Homes

  • SWD has launched a five-year scheme in phases since March 2019 to provide full subsidies for home managers, health workers and care workers of all RCHEs and RCHDs in the territory to enrol in Qualifications Framework-based training courses. The entire scheme covers practitioners from over 1 000 RCHEs and RCHDs. SWD will also provide training subsidies for the RCHEs and RCHDs so that proper manpower arrangements can be made to maintain operation of the homes while the health workers and care workers are taking the courses. On-site training support and assessment are also provided for trainees.

Accreditation Subsidy Scheme for Private Residential Care Homes for the Elderly

  • SWD launched a five-year scheme in October 2019 to provide full subsidies for private RCHEs joining SWD’s approved accreditation schemes provided under the Accredited Certification Body of Certification of Residential Care Homes (Elderly Persons) Service Providers’ Management System recognised by the Hong Kong Accreditation Service. The subsidy scheme aims at encouraging private RCHEs to improve their service quality on a continuous basis and join independent accreditation schemes for an objective assessment of their services by certification bodies. Over 500 private RCHEs throughout the territory may participate in the subsidy scheme.

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