XN000022-1989-03-08 — Page 3

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8, 1989

1

TOP PRIORITY GIVEN TO SOLVING PROBLEMS: CS

A CLOSE AND TOP

THE GOVERNOR AND THE CHIEF SECRETARY ARE TAKING PERSONAL INTEREST IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE HOSPITAL SERVICE PRIORITY IS BEING GIVEN BY THE ADMINISTRATION TO SOLVING THE CURRENT PROBLEMS.

THE

THE CHIEF SECRETARY, THE HON SIR DAVID FORD, TOLD LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL THIS TODAY WEDNESDAY) IN THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE ON MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES IN PUBLIC SECTOR HOSPITALS.

SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF THE COMMENTS BY THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, THE HON T.H. CHAU, IN THE COUNCIL, SIR DAVID STRESSED THAT THE GOVERNMENT WAS DETERMINED ΤΟ TACKLE THE PROBLEMS URGENTLY.

HE ALSO DISPUTED SOME STAFF'S BELIEF THAT THE FORMATION OF THE

FOR DELAY. HOSPITAL AUTHORITY WAS BEING USED AS AN EXCUSE

"THIS IS

SIMPLY NOT TRUE, HE SAID.

SIR DAVID SAID CLEARLY MORE NEEDED TO BE DONE TO IMPROVE NOT ONLY THE QUANTITY BUT, MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE QUALITY OF PATIENT CARE.

+

"IF WE ARE TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF SERVICE WE MUST LOOK FOR A COMPREHENSIVE SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEMS IN OUR HOSPITALS.

BE

STAFF

"A SOLUTION WHICH ADDRESSES HOW OUR HOSPITAL SERVICE SHOULD ORGANISED AND MANAGED, HOW WE CAN IMPROVE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN MANAGEMENT AND, ABOVE ALL. HOW WE ENSURE THAT WE HAVE HIGHLY MOTIVATED AND CONTENTED HOSPITAL STAFF," HE SAID.

AT

SIR DAVID SAID WHEN EMOTIONS WERE RUNNING HIGH AS THEY WERE

WAS IMPORTANT TO PRESENT AMONGST SOME HOSPITAL STAFF, IT

RETAIN A SENSE OF PERSPECTIVE ABOUT THE PROBLEMS THAT CONFRONTED US.

"OUR RECORD OF ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE FIELD OF HEALTH CARE OVER CAN THE PERIOD OF THE LAST TWO DECADES ARE CONSIDERABLE AND HONG KONG DERIVE SATISFACTION FROM THE FACT THAT THE STANDARD OF HEALTH OF COMMUNITY IS VERY GOOD IN COMPARISON WITH MANY DEVELOPED COUNTRIES.

THIS

THAT OF

"FOR EXAMPLE, OUR INFANT MORTALITY RATE IS LOWER THAN

IN THE UNITED THE UNITED KINGDOM, LIFE EXPECTANCY IS LONGER THAN THAT KINGDOM AND THE HIGH INCIDENCE OF TUBERCULOSIS, POLIOMYELITIS EPIDEMICS WHICH WERE OF SUCH CONCERN TWO DECADES AGO, ARE NO LONGER WORRY, HE SAID.

AND

A

THE HE AGREED THAT ALL THESE OWED MUCH TO

THAT THE BUT ADDED DOCTORS AND NURSES,

THE HEALTH SERVICE AND THE EFFORTS OF FACTORS ALSO.

HIGH

PRIORITY

DEDICATION OF GIVEN ΤΟ ADMINISTRATION HAD BEEN

THE

THE

B1G

DOCTORS AND NURSES

OF PATIENT

ABOUT CARE,

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"OF COURSE WE SHARE THE CONCERN OF THE CONDITIONS IN WHICH THEY WORK AND THE QUALITY HE SAID.

/"BUT I

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