XN000022-1983-10-27 — Page 2

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1983

1

BROAD STUDY OF MEDICAL SYSTEM PROPOSED

****

DR THE HON HARRY FANG TODAY URGED THE GOVERNMENT TO APPOINT A PANEL OF OVERSEAS AND LOCAL EXPERTS TO TAKE A BROAD LOOK AT HONG KONG'S MEDICAL AND HEALTH SYSTEM.

HE WAS SPEAKING AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL DEBATE ON THE MOTION OF THANKS FOR THE GOVERNOR SIR EDWARD YOUDE'S ANNUAL ADDRES$.

DR FANG SAID, THE QUALITY AND QUANTITY OF OUR MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES ARE IMPORTANT TO OUR COMMUNITY, AS WITNESSED BY THE RECENT PUBLIC AGITATION FOR THE EARLY CONSTRUCTION OF THE EASTERN HOSPITAL AND THE INCREASING NUMBER OF CIVIL ACTIONS AGAINST ALLEGED NEGLIGENCE OF HOSPITAL STAFF.+

HOWEVER, HE FELT THAT THE MEDICAL DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE CHAIRED BY HIM WAS NOT WELL PLACED TO UNDERTAKE THE REVIEW.

+THIS COMMITTEE IS INVALUABLE IN MANY WAYS AND HAS RECEIVED EXCELLENT SUPPORT FROM THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES AND HIS STAFF.

+BUT NEARLY A DECADE HAS PASSED SINCE THE PUBLICATION OF THE 1974 WHITE PAPER WHICH SET DOWN THE BLUE PRINT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES IN HONG KONG.

+THE PLAN HAS BEEN ROLLED FORWARD EACH YEAR BY MDAC BUT THE TIME HAS COME FOR A FRESH MANDATE AND IMPETUS.

+HENCE MY SUGGESTION FOR AN OVERALL REVIEW BY A SEPARATE BODY, HE SAID.

WHILE CONCEDING THAT HONG KONG'S HEALTH INDICES WERE ENCOURAGING AND STEADY PROGRESS HAD BEEN MADE IN VARIOUS MEDICAL DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS, HE SAID THAT THESE ACHIEVEMENTS WERE MODEST COMPARED WITH OTHER SOCIAL SERVICE PROGRAMMES.

HE NOTED THAT THE SHARE OF GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURE IN THIS PROGRAMME AREA DID NOT COMPARE WITH THOSE FOR HOUSING AND EDUCATION.

HE ADDED, +OUR MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES SUFFERS FROM LONG STANDING OPERATIONAL PROBLEMS TOO MANY CAMP BEDS IN REGIONAL HOSPITALS, LONG QUEUES AT GOVERNMENT CLINICS AND UNRELENTING PRESSURE ON OUR ACCIDENT AND EMERGENCY UNITS.

+SOME OF THESE PROBLEMS MAY BE TRACED BACK TO THE BASIC PHILOSOPHY GOVERNING THE PROVISION AND FUNDING OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES IN HONG KONG AND THE ROLES ENVISAGED FOR GOVERNMENT AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR.+

+TOO OFTEN WE FALL BACK ON THE DEFENCE THAT THE DEMAND IS INSATIABLE WITHOUT REALLY GETTING TO THE ROOTS OF THE PROBLEM, + DR FANG SAID.

/+WE MUST