Chief Executive CY Leung said today the Government will stringently follow up on the alleged abuse of seniors at a Tai Po care home, adding that care services can be improved if more land is made available for these facilities.
Speaking during a Legislative Council question-and-answer session this morning, Mr Leung said he has observed during past visits that service quality at some homes is poor because of high rent and land prices.
He noted if more land is made available for non-profit organisations to set up care homes, then more seniors will be able to afford better services, as the fees will exclude rent and land costs.
He said the Government has worked tirelessly in the past three years to free up more land, but has faced resistance to rezoning plans for elderly homes.
He acknowledged the shortage of care workers in the industry, saying the low employment rate has created hiring and salary problems.
Mr Leung said he and senior officials are "saddened" by the Tai Po incident, noting the Government has been conducting spot-checks on care homes to ensure they maintain service quality.
