XN000022-1986-10-15 — Page 39

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 1986

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+AND SINCE IT WAS CONSIDERED THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT AREA WHICH NEEDED REVIEW WAS THE MANAGEMENT OF THE PUBLIC HOSPITAL SYSTEM, THE TERMS OF REFERENCE GIVEN TO THE CONSULTANTS WERE WORDED ACCORDINGLY.+

MR CHAMBERS SAID HE AGREED THAT IF THE RECOMMENDATION TO ESTABLISH A STATUTORY HOSPITAL AUTHORITY WAS IMPLEMENTED, IT WOULD BE NEEDED TO CONSIDER THE EFFECT THAT THIS WOULD HAVE ON THE WHOLE OF THE PRESENT MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND NOT JUST THE GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS.

+THERE ARE OBVIOUS LINKS BETWEEN THE HOSPITALS AND THE OTHER ELEMENTS OF THE HEALTH SERVICES AND THE EFFECTS ON THESE OF THE NEW ARRANGEMENTS WOULD HAVE TO BE CAREFULLY EXAMINED,+ HE SAID.

MR CHAMBERS NOTED THAT THE PROPOSED HOSPITAL AUTHORITY CLEARLY THE MOST IMPORTANT SINGLE RECOMMENDATION IN THE REPORT. RECEIVED MAJORITY SUPPORT FROM MEMBER SOCIETIES OF THE FEDERATION OF MEDICAL SOCIETIES OF HONG KONG, AND WIDELY SUPPORTED BY DISTRICT BOARDS AND THE SUBVENTED HOSPITAL BODIES.

+BUT SERVERAL MAJOR RESERVATIONS HAVE BEEN EXPRESSED ABOUT THIS PROPOSAL, + MR CHAMBER POINTED OUT.

REGARDING THE CONCERN THAT THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A STATUTORY AUTHORITY WOULD IMPLY THAT THE GOVERNMENT WOULD BE RELINQUISHING ITS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PROVISION OF MEDICAL SERVICES, AND THAT THIS WOULD PENALISE THOSE WHO RELY ON SUCH SERVICES. MR CHAMBERS ASSURED THAT IT WAS NOT PART OF THE GOVERNMENT'S INTENTION TO ABDICATE ITS RESPONSIBILITY IN THIS AREA.

TURNING TO OTHER RESERVATIONS RAISED BY MEMBERS, MR CHAMBERS SAID THE REPORT DID NOT SPELL OUT IN DETAIL HOW THESE HOSPITALS WOULD BE INTEGRATED INTO THE SYSTEM, AND IT WAS UNDERSTANDABLE THAT THE VARIOUS HOSPITAL BOARDS WERE WORRIED ABOUT THEIR FUTURE.

+ IF THIS RECOMMENDATION IS TO BE IMPLEMENTED WE SHALL CLEARLY HAVE TO DISCUSS THE ARRANGEMENTS WITH THE BOARDS, AND I CAN GIVE AN ASSURANCE THAT THIS WILL BE DONE.+

MR CHAMBERS SAID THAT THE CONTRIBUTION MADE BY SUBVENTED HOSPITALS WERE GREATLY VALUED WHILE ASSURING THAT THEIR INDIVIDUAL CHARACTERISTICS WOULD BE PRESERVED.

COST IMPLICATIONS WERE ANOTHER DOUBT EXPRESSED. MR CHAMBERS SAID, AND HE DID NOT THINK THE CONSULTANTS WOULD CLAIM THAT THE FIGURES QUOTED WERE MORE THAN A VERY BROAD ESTIMATE OF THE COSTS AND BENEFITS OF THEIR PROPOSAL.

+A GREAT DEAL OF WORK REMAINS TO BE DONE ON THIS ASPECT OF THE REPORT AND THE FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS WILL INEVITABLY BE ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTORS IN REACHING DECISIONS ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CONSULTANTS' RECOMMENDATIONS, HE SAID.

/HE SAID