WEDNESDAY, APRIL 11, 1979
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HE SAID A JOINT SURVEY BY THE HOME AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT AND THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG IN DECEMBER 1977 AND JANUARY 1978 HAD SHOWN THAT OUT OF 2,089 EMPLOYEES ONLY 4.2 PER CENT HAD LIFE INSURANCE POLICIES, 1.5 PER CENT BOUGHT MEDICAL INSURANCE AND ONE PER CENT SICKNESS INSURANCE.
+SO IT MUST BE A MATTER FOR CONJECTURE AS TO THE DEGREE OF ACTUAL SUPPORT ANY CONTRIBUTORY SCHEME WOULD RECEIVE, THOUGH IT WOULD APPEAR THAT SUCH SUPPORT WOULD BE DEPENDENT ON THE BENEFITS LIKELY TO BE AVAILABLE AND ON THE INFORMATION ABOUT IT GETTING THROUGH TO THE WORKER, MR. HO POINTED OUT.
+NEVERTHELESS, HOPE THAT IT WILL BE POSSIBLE TO MAKE SOME ANNOUNCEMENT OF GOVERNMENT'S INTENTIONS LATER THIS YEAR, HE ADDED.
REFERRING TO THE PRESSURE ON HOSPITAL BEDS, MR. HO SAID THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT THIS MONTH WILL BE RUNNING A COMMUNITY NURSING SERVICE IN ADDITION TO THAT OPERATED BY THE SIX VOLUNTARY AGENCIES AT PRESENT.
THREE TRAINING COURSES WILL BE RUN EACH YEAR AND IT IS ENVISAGED THAT 350 MORE NURSES WILL BE TAKING THEIR PLACES IN THE COMMUNITY NURSING SERVICE OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. ALREADY THERE ARE 33 COMMUNITY NURSES IN POST.
FURTHER RELIEF OF THE PRESSURE ON HOSPITAL BEDS WILL ALSO RESULT FROM THE PROVISION OF CARE AND ATTENTION HOMES FOR THE ELDERLY, MANY OF WHOM AT PRESENT HAVE TO STAY IN HOSPITAL BECAUSE THERE IS NO ALTERNATIVE CARE AVAILABLE.
PROPOSALS ARE INCLUDED IN THE SOCIAL WELFARE WHITE PAPER TO PROVIDE FOR 1,400 ADDITIONAL PLACES IN CARE AND ATTENTION HOMES BY 1982-83, AND AN EVENTUAL TARGET OF FOUR PLACES FOR EVERY 1,000 POPULATION OVER 60 YEARS OLD.
MR. HO ALSO SPOKE ABOUT:
*
PROPOSALS FOR COMPLETE AIR-CONDITIONING OF HOSPITALS UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND IN FUTURE ONES.
* A NEW SYSTEM OF SUBVENTION TO VOLUNTARY WELFARE AGENCIES
BEING DISCUSSED, AND
*
THE DEVELOPMENT OF SKILLED MANPOWER, A REPORT ON IT BY THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON DIVERSIFICATION SHOULD BE COMPLETED BY AUTUMN.
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