7
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27, 1985
+BECAUSE EACH HOSPITAL WILL THEN BE MADE DIRECTLY ACCOUNTABLE FOR ITS OPERATION AND COMPETITION WILL INCREASE EFFICIENCY AND
IMPROVE STAFF ATTITUDE AND PERFORMANCE.
+MONEY WILL BE SAVED, FOR EXAMPLE, BY PUTTING STAFF ESPECIALLY DOCTORS, ON CONTRACT TERMS ON FULL TIME OR PART TIME (SESSIONAL) BASIS. THEY NEED NO LONGER BE IN THE CIVIL SERVICE,
DR FANG SAID.
HE FURTHER SUGGESTED THAT ALTHOUGH THE HOSPITALS WOULD BECOME NON-PROF IT-MAKING INSTITUTIONS, ADDITIONAL FUNDS COULD BE GENERATED FROM MODEST INCREASES IN FEES FOR VARIOUS SERVICES WHILE KEEPING THEM WITHIN THE MEANS OF THE AVERAGE WAGE EARNER.
LOCAL COMMUNITY LEADERS AND DISTRICT BOARD OR URBAN/REGIONAL COUNCIL MEMBERS COULD BE INVOLVED IN THE MANAGEMENT OF SUCH INSTITUTIONS, THUS IMPROVING FURTHER THE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PUBLIC, HE SAID.
REFERRING TO CLINICS, DR FANG SUGGESTED THAT THE SPECIALTY CLINICS WHICH WERE OUTPATIENT DEPARTMENTS OF VARIOUS HOSPITALS SHOULD CONTINUE TO BE SO ATTACHED WHILE THE GENERAL OUTPATIENT CLINICS COULD BE RUN BY THE COLLEGE OF GENERAL PRACTITIONERS ON A RENTAL BASIS OR AT AN AGREED RENT.
+THE COLLEGE COULD BE DELEGATED WITH THE DUTY OF PROVIDING INFORMATION REQUIRED FOR EPIDEMIOLOGICAL AND PUBLIC HEALTH SAMPLING PURPOSES OR GOVERNMENT COULD RETAIN SOME OF THE STRATEGICALLY PLACED CLINICS FOR THOSE FUNCTIONS, HE SAID.
DR FANG STRESSED THAT HE WAS NOT TRYING TO STRIP THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES AND HIS DEPARTMENT OF THEIR ESSENTIAL DUTIES.
+QUITE THE CONTRARY, BY RELIEVING THE DEPARTMENT OF DIRECT PRIMARY (OUTPATIENT) AND SECONDARY (HOSPITAL) MEDICAL CARE, GREATER EMPHASIS AND EFFORT CAN BE SPENT THAN AT PRESENT ON PUBLIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, POLICY AND PLANNING, SUBVENTING AND MONITORING THE MEDICAL SERVICES AS A WHOLE, HE SAID.
HE ADDED THAT SUCH A SYSTEM WAS BEING PRACTISED OVERSEAS AND IT HAD BY AND LARGE BEEN THE BASIS OF OTHER SERVICES SUCH AS EDUCATION AND SOCIAL WELFARE IN HONG KONG.
HE CONCEDED THAT THERE WOULD BE LOTS OF DIFFICULTIES IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS NEW CONCEPT BUT A SUCCESSFUL EXAMPLE COULD BE DRAWN FROM THE PRIVATISATION OF THE KCR.
+ IF THE PRINCIPLE CAN BE ACCEPTED WE CAN WORK IN STEPS GRADUALLY TOWARDS THE GOAL. PERHAPS WE COULD MAKE A START WITH THE NEW TUEN MUN OR SHAU KEI WAN HOSPITALS, HE SAID.
ANOTHER SUGGESTION