FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 1987
OVERHAUL OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES ANNOUNCED
THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, MR JOHN CHAMBERS, TODAY (FRIDAY) SAID THAT GOVERNMENT'S DECISION ΤΟ SET UP A HOSPITAL AUTHORITY WAS AIMED AT MAXIMISING DEVOLUTION OF RESPONSIBILITY, INCREASING FLEXIBILITY IN THE USE OF HOSPITAL RESOURCES, AND ENHANCING PUBLIC PARTICIPATION, WITH A VIEW TO IMPROVING THE DELIVERY OF HOSPITAL SERVICES IN HONG KONG.
A SEPARATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH WILL BE SET UP ΤΟ HANDLE ALL ASPECTS OF PREVENTIVE MEDICINE AND GENERAL PUBLIC HEALTH WHICH NOW FALL WITHIN THE AMBIT OF THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT, MR CHAMBERS TOLD A PRESS CONFERENCE.
HE EXPLAINED THAT THE DECISION ΤΟ ESTABLISH A HOSPITAL AUTHORITY AND A DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH WAS MADE FOLLOWING RECOMMENDATIONS BY THE CONSULTANTS COMMISSIONED TO REVIEW THE DELIVERY OF MEDICAL SERVICES IN HONG KONG.
"THE LONG TERM OBJECTIVE OF SETTING UP A HOSPITAL AUTHORITY IS TO ESTABLISH AN INDEPENDENTLY ADMINISTERED HOSPITAL SYSTEM. IT WILL OVERSEE THE MEDICAL SERVICES IN GOVERNMENT AND SUBVENTED HOSPITALS.
"THE AUTHORITY, BEING A STATUTORY BODY, WILL HAVE ITS MEMBERSHIP, TERMS OF REFERENCE AND STATUS DEFINED BY LEGISLATION, IT WILL BE SERVICED BY A HOSPITAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT, MR CHAMBERS SAID.
UP
A PROVISIONAL HOSPITAL AUTHORITY WILL BE SET
ON APRIL 1, 1988 TO PREPARE THE WAY FOR THE FORMATION OF A STATUTORY AUTHORITY.
HE NOTED THAT THE PROVISIONAL AUTHORITY WILL BE CHAIRED BY A NON-CIVIL SERVANT TO ENHANCE ITS INDEPENDENT STATUS. "ABOUT 20 MEMBERS FROM THE MEDICAL PROFESSION, THE BUSINESS SECTOR, THE UNIVERSITIES, COMMUNITY ORGANISATIONS, SUBVENTED HOSPITALS AND OTHER RELATED ORGANISATIONS WILL BE APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR,
I MR CHAMBERS SAID.
"THE HOSPITAL AUTHORITY WILL DIRECT AND OVERSEE THE DELIVERY OF MEDICAL SERVICES IN GOVERNMENT AND SUBVENTED HOSPITALS THROUGH A SYSTEM OF REGIONAL COMMITTEES WHICH WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE EFFICIENT MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION OF GOVERNMENT AND HOSPITALS IN THEIR REGIONS, MR CHAMBERS SAID.
ENSURING SUBVENTED
THE TERRITORY WILL BE DIVIDED INTO FIVE HOSPITAL REGIONS, NAMELY HONG KONG, KOWLOON EAST, KOWLOON WEST, NEW TERRITORIES EAST AND NEW TERRITORIES WEST. EACH REGION WILL BE SERVED BY A REGIONAL COMMITTEE TO BE FORMED UNDER THE HOSPITAL AUTHORITY LEGISLATION.
MEMBERS OF