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THURSDAY, MARCH 27, 1986
SHE SAID THERE WAS A DIMINISHING NEED FOR THE SCHOOL MEDICAL SERVICE SCHEME AS ALMOST EVERY DISTRICT HAD OUT-PATIENT CLINICS AND CHILDREN'S HEALTH HAD IMPROVED.
FURTHERMORE, THE PARTICIPATION RATE WAS LOW, WITH ONLY 40 PER CENT OF ELIGIBLE CHILDREN TAKING PART, AND EVEN THE GOVERNMENT CONFIRMED THAT DOUBLE SUBVENTION' EXISTED.
DR IP FELT THAT TAXPAYERS' MONEY WOULD BE BETTER SPENT ON SAY, A DENTAL SERVICE FOR THE AGED,
SHE SAID DENTAL PROBLEMS CREATED HEALTH PROBLEMS FOR THE AGED WHEN THEY WERE NOT FIT TO EARN ENOUGH MONEY TO PAY FOR PRIVATE SERVICES AND SERVICES WOULD NOT BE OFFERED TO THEM BY GOVERNMENT DENTAL CLINICS UNLESS THEY WERE OR HAD BEEN CIVIL SERVANTS.
SHE ENVISAGED SUCH A SERVICE AS A PREVENTIVE SCHEME UNDER THE BUDGET'S MEDICAL PROVISION BUT EMPHASISED THAT UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD IT BE SEEN AS THE BEGINNING OF A FREE DENTAL SERVICE FOR ALL,
DEALING WITH COST-EFFECTIVENESS, DR IP SAID THE CRUX OF THE MATTER WAS THAT ALTHOUGH THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT AGREED TO THE EFFECTIVENESS AND IMPORTANCE OF A STANDARDISED COST SYSTEM, THE SUPPORTING DATA COULD NOT BE PRODUCED UNTIL THE LEDGER ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION SYSTEM (LAFIS) PHASE II WAS AVAILABLE AND THERE WAS NO TIME-TABLE IN THE DEPARTMENT FOR THE FURTHER EXTENSION OF LAFIS.
+ IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THE PRESENT NON-SYSTEMATIC APPROACH OF COST COMPARISON WOULD LEAD TO UNEVEN DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS AND CONCEALMENT OF COST-INEFFECTIVENESS OF VARIOUS OPERATIONS.
+TO SAFEGUARD THE INTERESTS OF TAXPAYERS, THE DEPARTMENT SHOULD ACCORD TOP PRIORITY TO WORK OUT A STANDARDISED COST SYSTEM AND TO CONDUCT VALUE-FOR-MONEY STUDIES ON VARIOUS PROGRAMMES AND OPERATIONS,+ SHE SAID.
SHE SUGGESTED THAT THE DEPARTMENT SPEED UP THE INTRODUCTION OF LAFIS PHASE 11.
ON THE QUESTION OF WHETHER THERE SHOULD BE FREE MEDICAL SERVICES FOR ALL, DR IP REITERATED THAT FREE SOCIAL SERVICES SHOULD BE PROVIDED TO THE DISABLED, THE AGED, CHILDREN AND THE VERY POOR, BUT NOT TO THE PUBLIC AT LARGE, AND MEDICAL SERVICES LIKEWISE SHOULD NOT BE WHOLLY FREE FOR THOSE WHO COULD AFFORD THEM.
THOUGH SHE HAD RESERVATIONS ON THE COMPUTATION OF THE +AVERAGE COST+, SHE FULLY SUPPORTED THE MOVE TO INCREASE CHARGES FOR FIRST AND SECOND CLASS BEDS TO RECOVER PART OF OPERATIONAL COSTS, AND SUGGESTED THAT THE INCREASE SHOULD ALSO APPLY TO THIRD CLASS BEDS.
/SHE BELIEVED