A 24-hour support hotline will be set up in late September to assist carers in providing counseling and referral services for the elderly and persons with disabilities in need.
According to the documents submitted to the panel on welfare services under the Legislative Council by the Labour and Welfare Bureau and Social Welfare Department, they have appointed Tung Wah Group of Hospitals (TWGH) as the support hotline operator.
There will be at least 30 lines for the hotline, handled by professional social workers. They will operate round-the-clock to assist the carers with referrals, counseling services, outreach visits, etc.
The hotline services will be categorized into three modes. The first level will provide information for the calling carers, and then arrange for a social worker to follow up, counseling, or a referral if the case is in need.
Immediate outreach services or emergency intervention will be provided for urgent cases.
The hotline is estimated to deal with more than 30,000 calls annually, while the services could be expanded to up to 50 lines depending on the demand.
Lawmaker Doreen Kong Yuk-foon said in a radio program this morning that she hopes the helpline can provide urgent counseling, support and information to carers who have immediate referrals.
She mentions that the ideal support is to allow the carers to directly find the corresponding service providers, rather than searching by themselves one by one.
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