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SUNDAY, MAY 31, 1987
CONSIDERABLE INTEREST IN MEDICAL CONSULTANTS' REPORT
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THE CONSULTANTS' REPORT ON THE DELIVERY OF MEDICAL SERVICES IN HOSPITALS AROUSED CONSIDERABLE PUBLIC INTEREST AND WAS WIDELY RECOGNISED AS INNOVATIVE, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE HEALTH AND WELFARE BRANCH OF THE GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT SAID TODAY (SUNDAY).
ANNOUNCING THE RELEASE OF A SUMMARY REPORT OF PUBLIC OPINION MARKING THE COMPLETION OF THE CONSULTATION EXERCISE, THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT THE DOCUMENT WAS TO PROVIDE A SUMMARY OF PUBLIC VIEWS EXPRESSED THROUGH THE VARIOUS CHANNELS DURING THE CONSULTATION PERIOD WHICH LASTED FROM APRIL TO AUGUST 1986.
HE ADDED THAT THE VIEWS RECEIVED WERE EXTREMELY USEFUL AND ALL OF THEM HAD BEEN TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT BY THE ADMINISTRATION IN CONSIDERING THE CONSULTANTS' RECOMMENDATIONS.
HE POINTED OUT THAT TO MOST PEOPLE IN HONG KONG, THE PROPOSAL FOR A HOSPITAL AUTHORITY OUTSIDE THE CIVIL SERVICE SEEMED A FAIRLY RADICAL ONE AND THIS ISSUE ATTRACTED A LOT OF COMMENTS WITH A WIDE RANGE OF VIEWS.
+TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC, DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS AND COMMUNITY ORGANISATIONS, THE IMPROVEMENTS TO THE HOSPITAL SERVICES SUGGESTED
IN THE REPORT WERE OBVIOUSLY WELCOMED, HE SAID.
THE PUBLIC WAS ESPECIALLY ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT THE ENHANCEMENT OF COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IN HOSPITAL SERVICES AS RECOMMENDED IN THE REPORT.
THE SPOKESMAN, HOWEVER, NOTED THAT THE PUBLIC ALSO EXPRESSED AN APPREHENSION THAT THE PROPOSAL MIGHT BE THE GOVERNMENT'S FIRST STEP TOWARDS SHIRKING ITS RESPONSIBILITIES IN MEDICAL SERVICES AND IN PARTICULAR THAT THE HOSPITAL AUTHORITY MIGHT EVENTUALLY BE MADE FINANCIALLY SELF-SUFFICIENT.
+THE GENERAL PUBLIC WAS CONCERNED THAT THE HOSPITAL AUTHORITY PROPOSAL MIGHT AFFECT THE MORALE OF THOSE STAFF CURRENTLY WORKING IN GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS AND THEREBY THEIR SERVICES TO THE PUBLIC.
+THE HARD WORK REQUIRED OF AND GIVEN BY PRESENT GOVERNMENT HOSPITAL STAFF WAS GENERALLY APPRECIATED BY THE PUBLIC,+ HE SAID.
THE SPOKESMAN NOTED THAT THE MAJORITY OF PROFESSIONAL BODIES AND ACADEMIC INSTITUTES WERE IN FAVOUR OF THE HOSPITAL AUTHORITY PROPOSAL, ALTHOUGH A SMALL NUMBER HELD OPPOSITE VIEWS.
+ INDEED, THEY WERE GENERALLY IN FAVOUR OF MOST OF THE PROPOSALS IN THE REPORT,+ HE SAID.
TURNING TO