THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1986
SEVEN SUBMISSIONS FROM BOARDS OF DIRECTORS OF SUBVENTED HOSPITALS HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED TO THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE GIVING THEIR COMMENTS ON THE CONSULTANTS' REPORT.
+WHILE GENERALLY ACCEPTING THAT THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A HOSPITAL AUTHORITY AND THE UPGRADING OF THE SUBVENTED HOSPITALS AND THE EMPLOYMENT TERMS OF THE IR STAFF WOULD ENABLE THE HOSPITAL TO FUNCTION WITH GREATER FLEXIBILITY AND EFFICIENCY AND ALLEVIATE THE IR PRESENT STAFF RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION PROBLEMS, THE DIRECTORS HAVE HIGHLIGHTED A NUMBER OF IMPORTANT POINTS WHICH NEED TO BE CONSIDERED IN THE FUTURE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE SUBVENTED ORGANISATIONS AND THE HOSPITAL AUTHORITY.
+MOST OF THE BOARDS FELT THAT THEY SHOULD MAINTAIN OWNERSHIP OF THEIR HOSPITALS AND THE RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE IR MANAGEMENT. THEY ALSO FELT THAT IT WAS MOST IMPORTANT TO UPHOLD THE TRADITIONS, CHARACTER, SPIRIT AND PRINCIPLES OF THE SUBVENTED HOSPITALS. AGREE THAT THESE ARE VALID POINTS AND NEED TO BE ANSWERED, + MR CHAMBERS SAID.
TURNING TO ANOTHER MAJOR AREA OF CONCERN -- THE FUTURE OF THE STAFF WORKING IN THE GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS MR CHAMBERS SAID THAT THERE WOULD BE FULL CONSULTATION WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT STAFF BEFORE FINAL ISING ANY DECISIONS.
A TOTAL OF 26 STAFF ASSOCIATIONS IN THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAVE SENT IN THEIR COMMENTS TO THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE. WHILE ACCEPTING THAT IMPROVEMENTS WERE NEEDED TO THE EXISTING SYSTEM, THE MAJORITY OF THEM DID NOT AGREE THAT THE HOSPITAL AUTHORITY SHOULD BE OUTSIDE THE CIVIL SERVICE.
+SOME OF THEM POINT OUT THAT MANY OF THE SUGGESTED IMPROVEMENTS COULD BE CARRIED OUT WITHIN THE EXISTING STRUCTURE. SOME CAST DOUBTS ON WHETHER AN INTEGRATED STRUCTURE IS THE ANSWER TO THE PRESENT PROBLEMS, ESPECIALLY WITH THE HUGE COSTS AND UNCERTAINTY
INVOLVED.
+UNDERLYING ALL THESE COMMENTS WAS, OF COURSE, THE FEAR THAT THE CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT OF THE EXISTING STAFF WOULD BE ADVERSELY AFFECTED BY THE PROPOSED CHANGES, HE SAID.
REASSURING THE STAFF THAT NO PROPOSALS HAD YET BEEN MADE ABOUT THE LEVEL OF BENEFITS UNDER THE NEW ARRANGEMENTS, MR CHAMBERS POINTED OUT THAT CONSULTANTS PROPOSED THAT AN INDEPENDENT STAFF ADVISORY COMMISSION SHOULD BE SET UP TO WORK OUT AGREED TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT FOR ALL AUTHORITY STAFF, INCLUDING THOSE IN THE GOVERNMENT AND SUBVENTED HOSPITALS.
/+GIVEN THE