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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 1986
+1 FEEL TERRIBLY SORRY THAT WE HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO SOLVE THE UNDERSTAFFING PROBLEMS WHICH COMMONLY EXIST IN ACUTE HOSPITALS OR TO IMPROVE THEIR WORKING ENVIRONMENT, HAVING PARTICULAR REGARD TO THEIR CONTRIBUTION, THEIR DEDICATION AND THEIR ENDURANCE IN THE PAST,+ HE SAID.
ON THE QUESTION OF TIMING, DR CHIU REMINDED DOUBTERS THAT THE MEDICAL PROFESSION, CONCERNED COMMUNITY GROUPS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC HAD BEEN CALLING FOR A CRITICAL EXAMINATION OF HOSPITAL CARE FOR MORE THAN A DECADE.
+WE ARE IN DESPERATE NEED FOR SUCH CHANGES, SO WHY DO WE TURN OUR BACKS AGAINST IT BY CLAIMING THIS IS NOT THE TIME?+ HE ASKED.
+THE LONG WAITING LIST, THE OVERCROWDING, MANPOWER SHORTAGE AND POOR WORKING ENVIRONMENT IN ACUTE HOSPITALS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES.
+ IF THE PRESENT SYSTEM IS ALLOWED TO CONTINUE IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THE OVERWHELMING PRESSURE ON IT WILL CAUSE IT TO DISINTEGRATE AND COLLAPSE,+ HE WARNED.
AS FOR INTRODUCING THE RECOMMENDATIONS WITHIN THE EXISTING SYSTEM, DR CHIU SAID LOCAL MEASURES TO ALLEVIATE OVERCROWDING FOR EXAMPLE COULD ONLY PRODUCE MARGINALLY IMPROVEMENTS, BUT MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS REQUIRED RADICAL CHANGE.
+ ANY ATTEMPT TO PATCH UP THE WORN-OUT SYSTEM ON AN AD HOC AND PIECEMEAL BASIS WILL NOT BEAR FRUIT, HE SAID. +OUR PRESENT SYSTEM, LIKE A SERIOUSLY ILL PERSON, WILL NEED MAJOR SURGERY.+
THE PRESENT PRACTICE OF OPERATING PUBLIC HOSPITALS UNDER TWO SEPARATE SYSTEM WITH DIFFERENT CONDITIONS OF SERVICE FOR STAFF WAS HIGHLY UNSATISFACTORY, DR CHIU SAID.
+THE HA WILL SEE A NEW ARRANGEMENT WHICH IS A BETTER INTEGRATED SYSTEM WITH A FAIRER DISTRIBUTION OF RESOURCES WHICH WOULD MAKE EASIER THE TRANSFER OF PATIENTS FROM OVERCROWDED TO UNDER- UTILISED HOSPITALS, HE SAID.
OTHER BENEFITS, HE ADDED, WOULD BE FAIRER TERMS OF SERVICE FOR ALL STAFF AND FREEDOM FROM THE INFLEXIBILITIES OF THE CIVIL SERVICE.
THERE SHOULD ALSO BE INCREASED PRODUCTIVITY AND BETTER ACCOUNTABILITY OF THE HOSPITAL STAFF, HE SAID.
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