{{Use Hong Kong English|date=January 2019}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2019}} {{Infobox hospital <!-- Instructions: All fields and invisible comments should be left intact for future editors, even if currently unused. --> <!-- All fields are optional, but if copying to another article, please copy the entire template. --> <!-- Full template and instructions at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Infobox_hospital --> | name = United Christian Hospital | org_group = [[Hospital Authority]] and the Hong Kong Christian Council <!-- Org or group that owns/manages the hospital --> | image = United Christian Hospital.jpg <!-- Preferably photo of the main building or entrance--> | alt = <!-- Inserts alternate text for picture --> | image_size = 225 <!-- optional width of image, also Width=225 --> | caption = United Christian Hospital in November 2007 | pushpin_map = Hong Kong <!-- Uses the "Template:Location map" format; defines value for {{{1}}} parameter; must have latitude and longitude if using this --> | pushpin_relief = <!-- any non-blank value (yes, 1, etc.) will cause the template to display a relief map image, where available --> | pushpin_map_size = <!-- width of the map in pixels (do not include "px"); default is 225 --> | pushpin_map_alt = <!-- alternative text for map image, see WP:ALT for details --> | pushpin_map_caption = <!-- Optional. Gives a small caption under the map such as "Shown in region, country" --> | logo = United Christian Hospital logo.svg <!-- Please conform to copyright --> | logo_size = 225 <!-- Use to limit the logo size --> | location = 130 Hip Wo Street <!-- manually link & alternatively name if wish --> | region = [[Kwun Tong]] <!-- e.g. County or City - NB autolinked --> | state = [[Kowloon]] <!-- optional UK: England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland. US: The US State - NB autolinked --> | country = HK <!-- 2 letter code or in full, United States must be "US" --> | coordinates = {{coord|22.32318|114.22699|format=dms|display=inline,title}} | address = 130 Hip Wo Street, Kwun Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong <!-- Address of main building --> | healthcare = Public <!-- UK:NHS. AU/CA: Medicare. ELSE freetext, e.g. Private --> | funding = Public <!-- Non-profit, For-profit, Government, Public - will generate linka --> | type = District General, Teaching <!-- Community, District, General, District General, Teaching, Specialist --> | speciality = <!-- if devoted to a speciality (i.e. not a broad spectrum of specialities) and Type=Specialist/Teaching --> | standards = <!-- optional if no national standards --> | emergency = Yes, 24 hour [[Accident and Emergency]]<!-- UK/IR/HK/SG: Yes/No, CA/IL/US: I/II/III/IV/V for Trauma certification level --> | helipad = No <!-- Yes, No, or use "Template:Airport codes" with p=n. Only list if verifiable, leave blank if unknown. --> | religious_affiliation = Christian | affiliation = [[Medical Faculty]] of the [[Chinese University of Hong Kong]]<!-- 'None' or Medical School and university affiliations (medical or paramedical) --> | patron = Dr Edward H. Paterson<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.ucn.org.hk/en/about-ucn/history-and-milestones/ | title=History & Milestones &#124; About UCN &#124; United Christian Nethersole Community Health Service }}</ref> <!-- 'None' or the individual who acts as the hospital patron --> | network = [[Kowloon East Cluster]] <!-- Hospital network, non-owner --> | beds = 1600 <!-- Cite in article as well --> | founded = {{Start date and age|1973|12|6|df=yes}} <!-- Cite in article as well --> | closed = <!-- Use if defunct, please also add to Category:Defunct hospitals --> | demolished = <!-- Use if demolished at a different time from closure --> | website = {{URL|http://www.uch.org.hk}} <!-- Use {{URL}} --> | other_links = <!-- Creates "See also" field --> }} {{Infobox Chinese | t = 基督教聯合醫院 | s = 基督教联合医院 | y = Gēidūkgaau Lyùhnhahp Yīyún | j = gei1 duk1 gaau3 lyun4 hap6 ji1 jyun6*2 | p = Jīdūjiào Liánhé Yīyuàn }} '''United Christian Hospital''' ({{zh|t=基督教聯合醫院|cy=}}; '''UCH''') is a [[Christian]]-founded district general hospital in [[Kwun Tong]] of [[New Kowloon]] in [[Hong Kong]], operated by the [[Hospital Authority]]. The hospital has 1,600 beds and 3,000 staff, serving eastern Kowloon.

United Christian Hospital was founded in 1973 by the [[Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital]] and [[Hong Kong Christian Council]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ha.org.hk/hesd/nsapi/?MIval=ha_view_content&c_id=100156|title=United Christian Hospital}}</ref> The hospital first chief of medical superintendent was Dr. Edward Hamilton Paterson.<ref>{{cite journal|pmc=1600500|title=Outside Europe. An urban community health project. | pmid=7357261 | volume=280|issue=6206|date=January 1980|journal=Br Med J|pages=29–31|doi=10.1136/bmj.280.6206.29 |last1=Paterson |first1=E. H. }}</ref>

==History== United Christian Hospital was planned as a 350-bed voluntary hospital by the <nowiki>''Special Committee on the United Protestant Hospital''</nowiki> of the Hong Kong Christian Council and Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Foundation in 1968.<ref>{{Cite web |title=重要里程 {{!}} 基督教聯合醫院 |url=https://kec.ha.org.hk/uch/tc/About/Milestone.html |access-date=2024-08-12 |website=kec.ha.org.hk}}</ref> It had its foundation stone laid on 2 April 1971 by the [[Governor of Hong Kong]], [[David Trench]], and was officially opened on 6 December 1973 by [[Murray MacLehose, Baron MacLehose of Beoch|Murray MacLehose]], Trench's successor as Governor of Hong Kong.<ref>{{cite news|title='Hongkong—land of harmony'|newspaper=South China Morning Post|location=Hong Kong|date=3 April 1971|page=4}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=$46m hospital for Kun Tong residents|newspaper=South China Morning Post|location=Hong Kong|date=7 December 1973|page=12}}</ref>

United Christian Hospital was expanded in the 1990s. At that time, Blocks J, K, L and S were built, and Block P was redeveloped. The project was completed in 1999.<ref name="expansion">{{cite web|title=Expansion of United Christian Hospital|url=http://www32.ha.org.hk/capitalworksprojects/en/Project/10years/United-Christian-Hospital/Introduction.html|publisher=Hospital Authority|access-date=5 May 2017}}</ref>

==Services== [[File:United Christian Hospital overview.JPG|thumbnail|Overview of the hospital prior to redevelopment in September 2014]] * 24-hour [[Emergency Department]] * Medicine & [[Geriatrics]] * [[General surgery|General Surgery]] * [[Obstetrics]] and [[Gynaecology]] * [[Paediatrics]] * Orthopaedic and Traumatic Surgery * [[Psychiatry]] * Intensive Care * [[Anaesthesia]] * Diagnostic [[Radiology]] * [[Pathology]] * Ear-Nose-Throat * [[Ophthalmology]] * [[Neurosurgery]] * [[Dentistry]] & Maxillofacial Surgery

The hospital provides in-patient, day-patient and out-patient care; it also manages the psychiatry, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and geriatric [[day hospital]] services of Yung Fung Shee Memorial Centre as well as the Eye Clinic, pharmacy and radiology services of the Pamela Youde Polyclinic at [[Cha Kwo Ling Road]].

The hospital provides Community Nursing Services (CNS) to patients in Kwun Tong.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ha.org.hk/hesd/nsapi/?MIval=ha_view_content&c_id=100189|title=Community Nursing Service}}</ref>

== Redevelopment and expansion == The hospital is currently undergoing a major expansion and redevelopment project. This involves the demolition of Blocks F, G, and H, as well as the low block of Block P. A major new ambulatory block (Block A) will be built, a new Oncology Centre will be provided, and various other expansions and renovations will be completed. The project is set to be completed in 2023.<ref name="expansion"/>

At the end of January 2018, Secretary for Food and Health Professor Sophia Chan Siu-chee expressed her concern over the chronic shortage of nurses across hospitals in Hong Kong. Among hospitals being affected, United Christian Hospital was cited as the worst-hit public medical service provider. Statistics showed its bed occupancy rate reached a peak of 120%, a rate of usage well above its maximum capacity. From a wider perspective of the problem across other hospitals in Hong Kong, the situation of recruitment of medical staff was not any better. A shortage of labour has long been an issue in public hospitals. In 2017, of the 2,000 vacancies available, only 80% were filled, amounting to about 1,800 new nurses being hired by the public hospital. Adding to the problem was the incoming flu season during the winter, which placed more pressure on medical staff across hospitals in Hong Kong due to the added workloads.<ref>Naomi Ng,[https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/2130851/hong-kong-short-200-nurses-hospitals-grapple,"Hong Kong short of 200 nurses as hospitals grapple with deadly flu season"],''SCMP'', Saturday, 27 January 2018</ref>

==See also== * [[List of hospitals in Hong Kong]]

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== {{Commons category|United Christian Hospital}} *{{Official website|www.uch.org.hk}}

{{Hospitals in Hong Kong}} {{Authority control}}

[[Category:Hospital buildings completed in 1973]] [[Category:Hospitals in Hong Kong]] [[Category:Protestant hospitals in Hong Kong]] [[Category:Kwun Tong]] [[Category:Hospitals established in 1973]]