XN000022-1983-10-27 — Page 13

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1983

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ON THE FINANCIAL ASPECT, SHE POINTED OUT THAT THE REASON WHY A PAEDIATRIC HOSPITAL MIGHT APPEAR TO BE MORE EXPENSIVE TO RUN THAN A GENERAL HOSPITAL WAS THAT ONE WAS NOT COMPARING LIKE WITH LIKE.

DR IP SAID THAT:

* FIRST, A PAEDIATRIC HOSPITAL PROVIDES QUALITY IMPROVEMENT ON THE EXISTING SERVICE WHICH IS BELOW STANDARD SO THAT THE INCREASED EXPENDITURE HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH A PAEDIATRIC HOSPITAL PER SE.

* SECOND, THE NATURE OF PAEDIATRIC MEDICAL CARE MAKES IT MORE COSTLY BECAUSE CHILDREN NEED TO BE FED, CARED FOR, PLAYED WITH, TALKED TO AND RESTRAINED MORE SO THAN ADULTS.

SHE ADDED, WITH THE ECONOMICAL CLIMATE AS IT IS AT THE MOMENT, I ONLY URGE THAT GOVERNMENT SHOULD CONSIDER ASSISTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF A PAEDIATRIC MEDICAL CENTRE IN MONEY OR IN KIND, IF AND WHEN A NON-PROF IT-MAKING CHARITABLE ORGANISATION, SUCH AS THE PO LEUNG KUK, OFFERS A VIABLE PLAN.

+THIS OUGHT NOT BE AT THE EXPENSE OF OTHER MORE NEEDY PROJECTS BUT SHOULD BE IN LINE WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF PROPOSED PROJECTS OR SCHEMES, SUCH AS THE SCHOOL MEDICAL SCHEME, MATERNITY AND CHILD HEALTH CLINICS, GENERAL OUTPATIENT CLINICS, CHILD ASSESSMENT CENTRES, CHILD DENTAL CLINICS.

+AND TO BE EVEN MORE FAR SIGHTED, I HOPE THE GOVERNMENT COULD. WHEN OPPORTUNITY ARISES, CONVERT AND CONSOLIDATE EXISTING PAEDIATRIC MEDICAL PROJECTS SO AS TO GIVE BIRTH TO THE CONCEPT OF A PAEDIATRIC MEDICAL CENTRE.+

DR IP CRITICISED THE GOVERNMENT FOR FAILING TO IMPLEMENT THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE MANAGEMENT REVIEW TEAM SET UP IN JULY 1979 TO LOOK INTO THE ORGANISATION AND MANAGEMENT OF THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT.

THE TEAM RECOMMENDED THE INCLUSION OF ONE DEPUTY DIRECTOR, THE DIVISION OF MINOR STAFF IN HOSPITALS INTO NURSES AID/WARD ASSISTANTS AND DOMESTIC ASSISTANTS TO IMPROVE CONTROL OVER THEM, THE INTRODUCTION OF A WARD CLERKS SYSTEM TO RELIEVE DOCTORS AND NURSES OF THE BULK OF THEIR CLERICAL DUTIES, EXAMINATION OF THE POSSIBILITY OF USING PART-TIME NURSES, A CAREER STRUCTURE WHICH OFFERS HIGH LEVELS OF PROMOTION IN CLINICAL NURSING AND IMPROVEMENTS IN THE APPOINTMENT SYSTEM.

DR IP CONSIDERED THESE RECOMMENDATIONS TO BE SOUND AND SAID, +THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT MAY REFUSE TO LISTEN TO THE COMPLAINTS OF PATIENTS, OR THE ADVICE OF DOCTORS AND NURSES BUT OUGHT AT LEAST TO CONSIDER THE ADVICE FROM THE MANAGEMENT CONSULTANTS OF THE GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT.+

TURNING TO EDUCATION, DR IP SAID, +WE MUST HAVE AN OPEN UNIVERSITY IN HONG KONG TO CO-ORDINATÉ ALL THE CONTINUING EDUCATION WHICH ALREADY EXISTS, TO STANDARDISE AND ACCREDIT EXISTING PART-TIME POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION PROGRAMMES, TO EXTEND AND DEVELOP HIGHER EDUCATION THROUGH TELEVISION, AND TO CONFER RECOGNITION TO HIGHER STUDIES WITHIN A HIGHLY FLEXIBLE FRAMEWORK, SHE SAID.

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