Medical social worker's letter to Old Boys – Leave no one behind

2020.04.05

Following is a letter to Old Boys by the Service Co-ordinator of the Patient Resource Centre of a public hospital, Mr Billy TSANG Chung-man (2002), who is a medical social worker, today (April 5).

This is the third episode of Letters Asunder, an initiative to mark the centenary of Queen's College Old Boys' Association in 2020 under the theme "Serving QC family, our centenary duty", sharing with the Queen's community words of wisdom and reflections.

Leave no one behind

Dear brothers,

Visiting arrangement in public hospitals has been suspended for more than two months since the Hospital Authority activated the Emergency Response Level in response to the prevailing COVID-19 on January 25, 2020.

Hospitals are now filled with silence and dullness. Past scenes of people walking in the wards and taking care of their beloved family members are now gone. Relatives who used to show support to patients when they visited them in the wards are now unable to deliver their meaningful messages. Some of the patients may feel abandoned by their families and helpless staying in hospitals. On the other hand, the relatives may be angry or anxious when they can't help their old parents during this period. Many of them came to the wards, but were rejected by the staff who have been asked to keep the gate.

I'm working as a Service Co-ordinator of the Patient Resource Centre in a public hospital. It is a convalescent hospital and there are no "dirty wards". Patients are mainly old people who rely on their families and relatives very much.

We started the Video Visiting Service in response to the wish of both patients and relatives who would like to see each other. By a smartphone or tablet, patients are now connected with their beloved relatives again. Relatives can chat with and provide emotional support to the patients while they are staying at home. Our ward colleagues are also pleased to interact with the relatives by updating them on the patients' condition. This service can help reduce the workload of ward colleagues as they no longer need to entertain patients' relatives outside the ward doors often.

Unlike the SARS outbreak in 2003, technologies nowadays are more sophisticated. Video Visiting Service is relatively easier to implement. By simple communication apps in smartphones and tablets, patients and relatives are connected again. Patients' mood improved and they are more positive to continue with their rehabilitation treatment. Relatives are more relieved after they manage to know patients' condition. Wards are therefore filled with more laughter and love when our colleagues look into the camera and interact with the patients and relatives in the video call.

In this hard time for people fighting against viruses and for freedom, let's keep our personal hygiene and seize the moment we have every day. The epidemic is expected to continue for some time. We need to stay healthy and united. Although the situation is tough, love is all around us.

Cheers,
Billy

Queen's College Old Boys' Association
April 5, 2020