WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13, 1983
LONG-TERM MEDICAL AND SOCIAL WELFARE PLANNING TO CONTINUE
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THE GOVERNMENT WILL CONTINUE ITS POLICY TO MAINTAIN A LONG-TERM APPROACH TO PLANNING IN THE MEDICAL AND SOCIAL WELFARE FIELDS, THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, THE HON GEOFFREY BARNES SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
MR BARNES POINTED OUT THAT THE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME FOR MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES WAS PLANNED ON A TEN-YEAR BASIS, WITH AN ANNUAL REVIEW BY THE MEDICAL DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
THIS REVIEW, HE EXPLAINED, PROVIDED AN OPPORTUNITY FOR NEW PROJECTS TO BE ADDED, OR THE SCOPE OF THE PROGRAMME TO BE REVISED IN THE LIGHT OF CHANGING NEEDS RESULTING FROM SUCH FACTORS AS AN INCREASE OR RE-DISTRIBUTION OF POPULATION, CHANGES IN DISEASE PATTERN, USAGE RATES AND ADOPTION OF NEW PLANNING STANDARDS.
APART FROM EXTENSIONS TO EXISTING INSTITUTIONS, THE CURRENT DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME ENVISAGED THE BUILDING OF FIVE NEW HOSPITALS OF OVER 1 300 BEDS EACH AND SOME 20 NEW CLINICS AND POLYCLINICS OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS, MR BARNES SAID.
+EVERY EFFORT IS BEING MADE TO ENSURE THAT THESE PROJECTS SHOULD PROCEED AS PLANNED BUT OBVIOUSLY ANY CAPITAL PROGRAMME OF THIS MAGNITUDE HAS TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE ECONOMIC CIRCUMSTANCES OF HONG KONG AND THE COMPETING DEMANDS FOR AVAILABLE FISCAL RESOURCES,+ HE ADDED.
AS EXAMPLES OF FORWARD PLANNING FOR SOCIAL WELFARE OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. MR BARNES CITED 2 000 NEW CARE AND PROTECTION PLACES AND 22 NEW MULTI-SERVICE CENTRES FOR THE ELDERLY, 16 NEW COMMUNITY HALLS AS WELL AS 13 000 ADDITIONAL NURSERY PLACES.
ON THE ISSUE OF HANDICAPPED PEOPLE, MR BARNES REPORTED THAT THE GOVERNMENT WAS MAKING +EVERY ATTEMPT+ TO PROVIDE NECESSARY RESOURCES TO MEET NEEDS IN THE PREVENTIVE, CURATIVE AND REHABILITATION FIELDS.
HE COMMENDED THE VOLUNTARY AGENCIES FOR THEIR SKILL AND DEDICATION IN PROVIDING SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICES, AND MR BARNES SAID THAT THEIR WORK WAS ESSENTIALLY COMPLEMENTARY TO GOVERNMENT EFFORTS.
RESPONDING TO THE HON WONG LAM'S VIEW THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD NOT INVOLVE ITSELF WITH THE ACTUAL IMPLEMENTATION OF SOCIAL WELFARE POLICIES, MR BARNES POINTED OUT THAT THE GOVERNMENT WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR IMPLEMENTING AN ADEQUATE SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM AND CERTAIN SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICES, PARTICULARLY THOSE REQUIRED BY LAW.
+THERE ARE NO PLANS FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO RELINQUISH THESE SERVICES TO THE PRIVATE SECTOR. INDEED IN CERTAIN AREAS OF WORK IT IS CLEARLY IN THE INTERESTS OF BOTH THE GOVERNMENT AND THE VOLUNTARY AGENCIES, AS WELL AS THE PUBLIC, THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD IMPLEMENT POLICIES DIRECTLY, + MR BARNES SAID.
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