XN000022-1975-09-24 — Page 2

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 75

SOCIAL WELFARE: MORE EMPHASIS ON QUALITY

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THE EMPHASIS IN SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICES IN HONG KONG WILL IN FUTURE BE MORE ON QUALITY RATHER THAN QUANTITY, THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MR. THOMAS LEE, SAID TODAY.

+WE CONSIDER THAT SINCE WE HAVE NOW A FAIRLY WIDE RANGE OF SERVICES AND FACILITIES OF VARIOUS TYPES TO CATER FOR THE NEED OF THE COMMUNITY GENERALLY, THIS IS THE RIGHT TIME THAT INSTEAD OF EXPANDING FURTHER QUANTITATIVELY, WE SHOULD MOVE IN ANOTHER DIRECTION TO TRY TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF OUR SERVICES,+ HE TOLD A LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE LIONS CLUB OF THE PEAK.

MR. LEE SAID THE NEW APPROACH WOULD BE CARRIED OUT BY AN EVALUATION OF EXISTING WELFARE SERVICES PROVIDED BY VOLUNTARY WELFARE AGENCIES AS WELL AS BY THE GOVERNMENT.

+THE CONCEPT ON WHICH WE ARE WORKING, HE SAID, +IS THAT EVALUATION OF SERVICE AGENCIES IS PART AND PARCEL OF THE SOCIAL PLANNING PROCESS AND THEREFORE MUST BE ACTIVELY PURSUED SO THAT AGENCIES CAN BE MORE EFFICIENTLY AND MORE ECONOMICALLY RUN, AND CAN PROVIDE A MORE EFFECTIVE SERVICE.+

AS A RESULT, ECONOMIES IN SOME CASES MAY BE PRODUCED TO EFFECT IMPROVEMENT IN THE QUALITY OF SERVICES, HE EXPLAINED.

MR. LEE STRESSED THAT THE EXERCISE WAS NOT A WAY OF SEEING IF THE AGENCIES COULD BE OPERATED MORE CHEAPLY,

+WE ARE NOT TRYING TO FORCE ECONOMIES ON AGENCIES, BUT RATHER WANT TO ENSURE THAT AVAILABLE RESOURCES IN TERMS OF MONEY AND MANPOWER ARE USED TO THE BEST POSSIBLE ADVANTAGE FOR THE GOOD OF THE COMMUNITY AND IN PARTICULAR FOR THE DENEFIT OF THE CLIENTS.+

HE NOTED THAT A PILOT STUDY BY A SPECIAL STEERING GROUP ON EVALUATION, SET UP LAST OCTOBER, HAD BEEN CARRIED OUT ON SIX WELFARE AGENCIES INCLUDING ONE GOVERNMENT-RUN INSTITUTION.

THE STUDY, WHICH CONCENTRATED LARGELY ON MANAGEMENT, ORGANISATION, STAFFING, SALARIES AND THE QUALITY OF ACTUAL SERVICES PROVIDED, AIMED AT ESTABLISHING CLEARCUT GUIDELINES IN GENERAL WELFARE UNDERTAKINGS.

REPORTS ON THREE AGENCIES HAVE BEEN FINALISED AND THE OTHERS ARE EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED SOON.

MR. LEE SAID THE EXPERIENCE GAINED IN THE TEST-RUN WAS PROVING INVALUABLE AND THE STEERING GROUP WILL TAKE A HARD LOOK AT THE RESULTS IN AN EFFORT TO ESTABLISH FIRM GUIDELINES FOR THE TEAMS TO FOLLOW FOR THE SUBSEQUENT EVALUATION OF OTHER AGENCIES.

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