WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 1986
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THE WORKING GROUP RECOMMENDED A PLANNING RATIO OF ONE CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST TO 1 356 COUNSELLING CASES, AND THIS WAS ENDORSED BY THE 1985 FIVE YEAR PLAN REVIEW AS AN INTER IM TARGET.
ON THE BASIS OF CURRENT CASELOAD IT WOULD BE NECESSARY TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGISTS FROM TEN TO 21 IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THE INTER IM TARGET, HE SAID.
MR SHIPMAN ADDED THAT IN RECOGNITION OF THE SHORTAGE OF QUALIFIED PERSONS AND THE LIMITED OUTPUT OF NEW GRADUATES, THE 1985 REVIEW ACCEPTED THAT ACHIEVEMENT OF THE INTERIM TARGET WOULD HAVE TO BE PHASED.
+FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE TO CREATE FIVE ADDITIONAL POSTS IN THE SUBVENTED SECTOR DURING THE CURRENT FINANCIAL YEAR, HE SAID.
+THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT WILL BE SEEKING TO INCREASE ITS OWN ESTABLISHMENT IN THIS AREA IN THE NEXT FINANCIAL YEAR.+
NON-HK RESIDENTS NEED TO PAY FULL HOSPITAL COSTS
****
VISITORS AND NON-HONG KONG RESIDENTS USING GOVERNMENT HOSPITAL SERVICES ARE ACCOMMODATED AS FAR AS POSSIBLE IN PRIVATE WARDS, WHERE THEY ARE REQUIRED TO PAY THE FULL COST OF TREATMENT AND ACCOMMODATION, THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, THE HON NIGEL SHIPMAN, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY DR THE HON CHIU HIN-KWONG, MR SHIPMAN SAID THAT THOSE ADMITTED TO PUBLIC WARDS PAID ONLY THE STANDARD FEE OF $18 WHICH WOULD, HOWEVER, BECOME $20 WITH EFFECT FROM AUGUST 1 THIS YEAR.
HE SAID A SEPARATE FEE-CHARGING SYSTEM FOR PUBLIC WARDS WAS BEING CONSIDERED FOR NON-RESIDENTS WHO EITHER CAME TO HONG KONG FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT OR WERE REFERRED BY HONG KONG DOCTORS FOR TREATMENT IN A PUBLIC HOSPITAL.
BUT HE POINTED OUT THAT +GENUINE EMERGENCY CASES AND PERSONS FROM THE UNITED KINGDOM, WHICH HAS A RECIPROCAL AGREEMENT WITH HONG KONG, WOULD CONTINUE TO BE TREATED ON THE SAME BASIS AS LOCAL RESIDENTS+.
MR SHIPMAN SAID THAT A SPECIAL SURVEY SHOWED THAT
1 151 NON-RESIDENTS USED GOVERNMENT HOSPITAL SERVICES BETWEEN AUGUST 16 AND NOVEMBER 30 IN 1985, WITH 957 OF THEM BEING ADMITTED THROUGH THE ACCIDENT AND EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT.
+THE CRITERIA USED FOR DISTINGUISHING RESIDENTS FROM NON-RESIDENTS IS POSSESSION OF A HONG KONG IDENTITY CARD,+ HE SAID.
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