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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13, 1983
ON A CONTRIBUTORY SOCIAL SECURITY SCHEME, HE RECALLED THAT THE FINDINGS OF AN OPINION SURVEY OF EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES CONFIRMED THAT SUCH A SCHEME WOULD BE TOO DIFFICULT TO APPLY.
HE ADDED THAT IT WAS ALSO FOUND THAT A COMPULSORY SOCIAL SECURITY SCHEME WOULD +UNDERMINE OUR WELL-ESTABLISHED NON- CONTRIBUTORY SOCIAL SECURITY ARRANGEMENTS.+
+ALTERNATIVE PLANS ARE THEREFORE BEING DEVELOPED TO PROVIDE EXTENDED SICKNESS BENEFITS AND DEATH GRANTS FOR INCORPORATION IN LEGISLATION.
+MEANWHILE, THE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE SCHEME MUST REMAIN THE CENTRAL PILLAR OF OUR SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM. AS MUST OUR APPROACH OF CONCENTRATING ASSISTANCE ON THE MORE VULNERABLE GROUPS IN OUR COMMUNITY, + MR BARNES SAID.
MEDICAL PRIORITY FOR NEEDY STRESSED
*****
THE UNDER-PRIVILEGED CLASS WOULD CONTINUE TO BE GIVEN PRIORITY IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF MEDICAL FACILITIES, THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, DR THE HON K.L. THONG, SAID TODAY.
SPEAKING AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, DR THONG POINTED OUT THAT THE NUMBER OF BEDS IN THE GENERAL WARDS IN GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS HAD BEEN INCREASED TO 10 544, AS COMPARED WITH 221 BEDS FOR PRIVATE PATIENTS.
IT WAS GOVERNMENT POLICY THAT MEDICAL AND HEALTH FACILITIES BE PROVIDED TO ALL PEOPLE IN HONG KONG, PARTICULARLY TO THE LARGE SECTION WHO RELIED ON SUBSIDISED ATTENTION.
+UNDER THIS POLICY WHICH IS CLEARLY STATED IN THE 1974 WHITE PAPER ON THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, SUCH SERVICES ARE BASICALLY REGARDED AS AN IMPORTANT SOCIAL SERVICE AND THE MAJORITY OF THE PUBLIC ARE ONLY REQUIRED TO PAY NOMINAL CHARGES WHICH ARE NOT AT ALL RELATED TO RECOVERY OF COST, + HE SAID.
HOWEVER, HE SAID, FOR THE BETTER-OFF SECTION OF THE COMMUNITY WHICH MADE USE OF THE SMALL NUMBER OF BEDS IN THE PRIVATE WARDS OF GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS, IT WAS THE GOVERNMENT'S INTENTION TO RECOVER THE FULL OR PARTIAL COST OF THE SERVICES PROVIDED.
A DECISION WOULD SOON BE TAKEN ON THE QUESTION OF WHETHER SUCH PATIENTS SHOULD CONTINUE TO BE SUBSIDISED, HE ADDED.
COMMENTING ON REMARKS BY SOME UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS ABOUT THE COSTING OF SERVICES, DR THONG SAID THAT THE REVIEW OF MANY FEES AND CHARGES WAS TIME-CONSUMING AND WAS FURTHER COMPLICATED BY THE FACT THAT MEDICAL TREATMENT AND LABORATORY INVESTIGATIONS WERE CONTINUOUSLY CHANGING AS NEW TESTS AND IMPROVED TECHNIQUES WERE INTE DUCED.
/+FOR THIS