Message from the President

I would like to thank all for making me the President of the Hong Kong Continence Society. My first association with the Society was in January 1996 when I was invited to help plan the first seminar on continence at Queen Elizabeth Hospital. The experience of working with people of different disciplines was unique and rewarding. The necessity of multidisciplinary approach to the condition is evident.

It is my belief that increasing the awareness of both the health care profession and the public is the key to the quality care of patients through early preventive measures and minimally invasive procedures. The Society has achieved these through seminars and workshops to the profession and the general public. To promote local and overseas academic links, the Society has organised annual scientific meetings and sponsor members to attend overseas conference.

Since her inception in 1995, the Society has organised 5 annual scientific meetings, 6 seminars, 3 workshops, one international meeting and one certificate course in continence care. Eleven issues of newsletter with updates on continence have been published. A survey on Prevalence of Urinary Incontinence and Urinary Symptoms was conducted in 1995. Seminars on continence care for hospital healthcare providers were held in 6 acute hospitals and one rehabilitation hospital from 1996 to 1999. Members have been sponsored to participate and present their works in international meetings.

A hotline for public enquiry was established in 1996. There were 7 educational talks and 16 workshops on continence for the public since 1997. A pamphlet on continence care was prepared for public distribution in 1998. From 1999 to 2001, eleven health talks on female incontinence presented by members of the council were held in different regions of Hong Kong.

The Society has worked in close collaboration with other learned societies, hospitals and community organisations to make these activities possible. Becoming a member of the Federation will further improve communication and co-operation with other medical, nursing and allied health professionals. We would like to thank the societies for making us part of the fraternity.

By Dr. John Fenn (July 2002)