XN000022-1986-04-15 — Page 2

TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 1986

CHAMBERS CLARIFIES MEDICAL ISSUES

****

THE GOVERNMENT HAS NO INTENTION OF DEPARTING FROM ITS PRESENT POLICY OF PROVIDING MEDICAL CARE FOR ALL PEOPLE AT A PRICE THEY CAN AFFORD, SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, MR JOHN CHAMBERS, SAID TODAY (TUESDAY).

HE POINTED OUT THAT THE QUITE MODEST NEW AND INCREASED CHARGES PROPOSED IN THE RECENTLY PUBLISHED CONSULTANTS' REPORT ON THE DELIVERY OF MEDICAL SERVICES IN HOSPITALS WOULD IN NO WAY PRECLUDE THE UNDERPRIVILEGED FROM GAINING ACCESS TO PUBLIC HOSPITALS.

ADDRESSING A LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE ROTARY CLUB OF HONG KONG NORTHWEST, MR CHAMBERS SAID THE CHARGES WERE INTENDED BY THE CONSULTANTS TO SECURE MORE EFFICIENT USE OF THE OVERCROWDED FACILITIES IN THE MAJOR HOSPITALS.

CLARIFYING ANOTHER MISCONCEPTION, HE SAID THERE HAD IN RECENT MONTHS BEEN A NUMBER OF REFERENCES TO PROPOSALS ALLEGEDLY MADE BY THE CONSULTANTS FOR THE PRIVATISATION OF PUBLIC HOSPITAL SERVICES.

+

+THE USE OF THIS RATHER EMOTIVE WORD IS UNFORTUNATE, TO SAY THE LEAST, SINCE IT GIVES THE QUITE WRONG IMPRESSION THAT OUR HOSPITALS ARE TO BE SOLD OFF TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER LIKE BRITISH AIRWAYS, TO BE OPERATED ON A PURELY COMMERCIAL BASIS, WITH CONSEQUENTIAL SHARP INCREASES IN CHARGES, WHICH MIGHT EVEN PUT HOSPITAL SERVICES BEYOND THE REACH OF MANY OF OUR LESS WELL-OFF CITIZENS.

+THIS IS CERTAINLY NOT THE CASE, AND THERE IS NOTHING IN EITHER THE TERMS OF REFERENCE OR THE CONSULTANTS' RECOMMENDATIONS TO SUPPORT THIS IDEA,+ HE ADDED.

EMPHASISING THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD NOT YET TAKEN ANY FIRM VIEWS ON I IMPLEMENTATION OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS, MR CHAMBERS SAID, HOWEVER, THAT HE HAD ALREADY SET UP A GROUP WITHIN THE ADMINISTRATION TO IMMEDIATELY START LOOKING AT THE RECOMMENDATIONS.

+ THE FIRST TASK OF THIS GROUP WILL BE TO DIVIDE THE RECOMMENDA- TIONS INTO TWO CATEGORIES - THOSE WHICH ARE CLOSELY LINKED TO THE MAJOR PROPOSAL FOR A HOSPITAL AUTHORITY, AND THOSE WHICH COULD BE IMPLEMENTED IN ADVANCE OF THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE AUTHORITY OR EVEN IF IT WERE DECIDED NOT TO PROCEED WITH THE MAJOR REORGANISA- TION, HE SAID.

HE NOTED THAT THERE WERE A NUMBER OF QUITE PRACTICAL AND LESS CONTROVERSIAL RECOMMENDATIONS WHICH COULD PERHAPS BE PUT INTO EFFECT QUITE QUICKLY, UNLIKE THE MAJOR REORGANISATION WHICH WOULD CLEARLY TAKE A CONSIDERABLE TIME TO IMPLEMENT.

/ON ANOTHER