XN000022-1986-04-23 — Page 22

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 23, 1986

HOWEVER, DR CHIU OBSERVED THAT THE BILL ITSELF WAS QUITE REMEDIAL IN NATURE ALTHOUGH THE AMENDMENT WAS WELL RECEIVED.

+AT PRESENT, SOME GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS ARE TAKING CARE OF PUBLIC EDUCATION ON INDUSTRIAL SAFETY.

+HOWEVER, THE CONSTRUCTION AND QUARRY INDUSTRIES IN HONG KONG AND THE WORKERS IN HIGH-RISK AREAS NEED TO BE FURTHER EDUCATED ABOUT KNOWN METHODS FOR PROTECTION AGAINST AND EARLY DETECTION OF HEALTH PROBLEMS, HE SAID.

PROTECTIVE MEASURES AND PROGRAMMES FOR SPREADING INFORMATION ABOUT THEM NEEDED TO BE EVALUATED, DR CHIU ADDED.

+ALL THESE POSITIVE ACTIONS WILL NOT ONLY BE BENEFICIAL TO THE HONG KONG WORKFORCE BUT THEY ARE ALSO ESSENTIAL TO THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT IN DECIDING ON THE AMOUNT OF LEVY,+ HE SAID.

DR CHIU NOTED THAT THESE ACTIONS WOULD HAVE FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS, BUT BELIEVED THAT THE BUILDING CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION, THE BIGGEST EMPLOYER OF CONSTRUCTION WORKERS, WOULD ACCEPT THEM.

+WHERE THE FUNDS COME FROM IS MERELY A TECHNICAL PROBLEM.

+THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS THAT PNEUMOCON 1081S MUST BE PREVENTED BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE, HE SAID.

+THIS IS WHAT WE OUGHT TO DO AND DO QUICKLY, DR CHIU STRESSED.

EARLY ACTION ON MEDICAL RECOMMENDATIONS CONSIDERED

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THE CONSULTANTS' REPORT ON THE DELIVERY OF MEDICAL SERVICES IN HOSPITALS CONTAINS A NUMBER OF RECOMMENDATIONS WHICH COULD BE IMPLEMENTED WITHOUT WAITING FOR AN OVERALL DECISION AND THESE WILL BE EXAMINED URGENTLY, THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, THE HON JOHN CHAMBERS, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

SPEAKING AT THE RESUMED DEBATE ON THE BUDGET, MR CHAMBERS SAID, HOWEVER, THAT IT WOULD CLEARLY TAKE A CONSIDERABLE TIME TO REACH A DECISION ON THE MAJOR RECOMMENDATION FOR AN INDEPENDENT HOSPITAL AUTHORITY,

+THE CONSULTANTS HAVE RECOMMENDED A NUMBER OF CHANGES TO THE STRUCTURE OF HOSPITAL CHARGES AND THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY MEMBERS ON THIS SUBJECT WILL OF COURSE BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION TOGETHER WITH THE COMMENTS OF THE MEDICAL PROFESSION AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC,+ HE ADDED.

/MR CHAMBERS