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Former police officers may inspect Hong Kong’s private care homes
Welfare chief tells special hearing that government would also consider making warnings given to homes public, after scandal at Kwai Chung centre
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Hong Kong’s welfare chief suggested on Tuesday that retired uniformed staff, such as former police officers, should inspect the city’s private disabled nursing homes, after revelations of abuse at such centres sparked public outcry.
Secretary for Labour and Welfare Matthew Cheung Kin-chung unveiled a series of measures at a special meeting of the legislature’s welfare panel after the Bridge of Rehabilitation Company, a scandal-hit nursing home for the mentally disabled in Kwai Chung, was found to have recorded at least five suspicious deaths in a year.
“We would not tolerate any unqualified nursing homes,” Cheung said, adding that his department would consider making private nursing home managers accountable for services.
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The government would also consider making warnings given to homes public, to make the system more transparent, he added.
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Dozens of people at the hearing, including social workers, caretakers at private nursing homes, disabled people and their parents, criticised the government for failing to monitor the quality of these homes, which they said had compromised the dignity of disabled residents.
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