The Hospital Authority has plans for Tseung Kwan O Hospital's expansion and hospitals to be built in North Lantau and Tin Shui Wai, Secretary for Food & Health Dr York Chow says.

Dr Chow told the Legislative Council today these projects will provide additional beds for Kowloon East, New Territories West and North Lantau, to meet the rising service demand in these districts.

The authority, he said, will also provide 34 additional general beds in Pok Oi Hospital in 2008-09, and about 300 additional general beds in Tuen Mun Hospital and Pok Oi Hospital in the next three years, according to service demand.

In planning service provision and the number of beds, Dr Chow said the authority has considered such factors as population growth and demographic changes, service delivery model and use, advances in medical technology and launching of new services.

Up to March 31, the authority had 27,555 in-patient beds with an average occupancy rate of 82% in 2007-08. The number of beds in private hospitals will increase from 3,596 to about 3,900 in the next three years, up by about 320.

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