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+ IF THIS PARTICULAR NETTLE IS NOT GRASPED NOW, THE GOVERNMENT MEDICAL SERVICE WILL BE REDUCED TO WELL BELOW PAR WITH THE STAFF OVERWORKED, DISGRUNTLED, AND DISILLUSIONED, + HE WARNED.
AS THE MONETARY REWARD OF PRIVATE PRACTICE NORMALLY COULD NOT BE MATCHED IN THE PUBLIC SERVICE, HE SAID, THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD OFFER OTHER ATTRACTIONS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR TRAINING AND RESEARCH IN INDIVIDUAL SPECIALITIES AND THE FREEDOM AND OPPORTUNITY TO PURSUE ONE'S OWN ACADEMIC PREFERENCE.
SINCE MANY OF THE IMPROVEMENTS COULD NOT BE IMPLEMENTED BECAUSE OF A LIMITED BUDGET, DR. FANG SUGGESTED AS A SOLUTION THAT PRIVATE PRACTITIONERS BE EMPLOYED ON AN ASSIGNMENT BASIS+.
THE GOVERNMENT COULD MAKE USE OF THEIR EXPERTISE AND EFFICIENCY BY ASSIGNING THEM SPECIFIC DUTIES IN GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS OR CLINICS IN RETURN FOR A FEE, BUT. WITHOUT FRINGE BENEFITS SUCH AS QUARTERS, STUDY LEAVE, PENSION ETC,+ HE PROPOSED.
HE BELIEVED THAT SUCH A SCHEME WOULD ENABLE THE PRIVATE PRACTITIONERS TO KEEP ABREAST OF DEVELOPMENTS IN THEIR OWN FIELD. GIVING THEM CONSIDERABLE JOB SATISFACTION AS WELL AS MORE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY.
+THE ACCURED SAVINGS COULD THEN BE USED TO IMPROVE THE CONDITIONS OF SERVICE OF FULL-TIME STAFF AS WELL AS TO PROVIDE BETTER FACILITIES FOR RESEARCH AND OVERSEAS TRAINING,+ DR. FANG POINTED OUT.
ON DENTAL CARE, DR. FANG CRITICISED THE GOVERNMENT FOR LACK OF ACTION.
DESCRIBING DENTAL CARE FOR THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG AS A SERIOUS AND SEVERELY IGNORED PROBLEM FOR DECADES, HE STRESSED THAT THE PROVISION OF A DENTAL SCHOOL SHOULD HAVE PRIORITY OVER THE SECOND MEDICAL SCHOOL.
REFERRING TO COMMUNITY NURSING SERVICE, HE SAID THE GOVERNMENT HAD BEEN URGED FOR YEARS TO CONSIDER THE INTRODUCTION OF A COMMUNITY NURSING SCHEME TO COMPLEMENT HOSPITAL CARE. HOWEVER, SO FAR THIS SCHEME HAD NOT BEEN IMPLEMENTED WITHIN GOVERNMENT SERVICE.
DR. FANG POINTED OUT THAT THE SCHEME HAD PROVED TO BE MORE THAN WORTHWHILE AS EVIDENCED BY THE FACT THAT FIVE VOLUNTARY AGENCIES WERE ALREADY ENGAGED IN THIS FIELD.
SUCH SERVICE, HE SAID, NOT ONLY WOULD RELIEVE THE STRAIN ON HOSPITAL FACILITIES BUT ALSO EXTEND NURSING CARE TO THE HOME.
HE SUGGESTED THAT FUNDS BE ALLOCATED TO VOLUNTARY AGENCIES WHICH PROVIDE THE MUCH NEEDED COMMUNITY NURSING SERVICE,
ON THE QUESTIONS OF SUBVENTIONS IN GENERAL, DR. FANG POINTED OUT THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO RETAIN AN INCENTIVE FOR VOLUNTARY AGENCIES TO MAINTAIN AND IMPROVE THEIR EXISTING SERVICES AND TO EXPLORE NEW NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE.
+THE AMOUNT OF $52 MILLION IN TOTAL FOR SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICES IN THE VOLUNTARY SECTOR CANNOT BE SAID TO BE EXTRAVAGANT WHEN ONE CONSIDER THAT THE GOVERNMENT SPENT NO LESS THAN $22 MILLION ALONE LAS YEAR IN SUBSIDIZING STUDENT BUS FARES,+ HE SAID.
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