WEDNESDAY, MARCH 15, 1989
SHE ABSTAINED FROM VOTING ON THE RESOLUTION WHICH SOUGHT TO ACHIEVE THE RE-ORGANISATION. SHE SAID SHE WOULD VOTE AGAINST THE USE OF FUNDS WHICH WOULD BE NECESSARY FOR THE RESOLUTION TO TAKE EFFECT.
DR IP SAID THERE WAS A FINE DISTINCTION BETWEEN SERVICES AND HEALTH SERVICES.
HOSPITAL
TO QUOTE SOME EXAMPLES, SHE SAID, THE RESOLUTION HAD GROUPED THE RELEVANT STATUTORY FUNCTIONS UNDER THREE SCHEDULES, ONE TO BE TRANSFERRED TO THE DIRECTOR OF HEALTH SERVICES, ONE ΤΟ THE DIRECTOR OF HOSPITAL SERVICES AND ONE TO BOTH THE DIRECTOR OF HEALTH AND THE DIRECTOR OF HOSPITAL SERVICES.
SO, IN ESSENCE, THE GOVERNMENT ADMITTED THAT IN SOME INSTANCES, THE FUNCTIONS COULD NOT BE DIVIDED, SHE SAID.
DR IP NOTED THAT THE MENTAL HEALTH ORDINANCE AND MENTAL HEALTH REGULATIONS, WHICH BOTH WERE TO DO
DO WITH HEALTH AS THEIR TITLES IMPLIED, WOULD BE PUT UNDER THE HOSPITAL SERVICES, AND YET THE MAJORITY OF MENTALLY ILL PATIENTS WERE IN THE COMMUNITY AND NOT IN HOSPITALS.
SHE ALSO NOTED THAT ORDINANCES INVOLVING DRUGS, ANTIBIOTICS, PHARMACY, POISONS AND RADIATION
ALL OF WHICH AFFECTED HOSPITAL SERVICES, WOULD BE UNDER THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SERVICES.
▬▬
THE ORDINANCE GOVERNING DOCTORS, DENTISTS, NURSES AND MIDWIVES, MOST OF WHOM WERE WORKING IN HOSPITALS, WOULD BE UNDER THE HEALTH SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
CONFUSE THE MANAGEMENT
SUCH A RE-ORGANISATION WOULD NOT ONLY OF THE HOSPITAL AND CLINICAL SERVICES FURTHER BUT WOULD ALSO INVOLVE THE USE OF LARGE SUMS OF TAXPAYERS' MONEY.
IT WOULD REQUIRE A DUPLICATION OF THE SENIOR POSTS OF DIRECTOR, DEPUTY DIRECTOR AND A FEW SENIOR ADMINISTRATIVE, EXECUTIVE AND ACCOUNTING PERSONNEL AS WELL AS CLERICAL WORKERS AND OFFICE PREMISES.
DR IP ALSO QUESTIONED WHY GOVERNMENT CLINICS WERE TO BE OPERATED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH RATHER THAN BY THE HOSPITAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
IT WAS REASONABLE FOR SOME TO SUSPECT THAT FOR ALL PURPOSES THIS WAS NO MORE THAN A PLOY OF THOSE REMAINING IN THE FUTURE HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO MAINTAIN THE SIZE OF A SHRINKING DEPARTMENT, SHE SAID.
DR IP SAID THE GOVERNMENT HAD IN EFFECT PRE-EMPTED THE UP OF A HOSPITAL AUTHORITY EVEN BEFORE A STEERING COMMITTEE UP TO REVIEW HOSPITAL SERVICES.
IF THE GOVERNMENT GENUINELY WANTED TO REVIEW MEDICAL AS A WHOLE, AS IT SHOULD HAVE, WHY DID IT NOT SET UP A COMMITTEE TO REVIEW MEDICAL SERVICES AS WHOLE INSTEAD OF THE REVIEW TO HOSPITAL SERVICES ONLY, SHE ASKED.
SETTING WAS
SET
SERVICES STEERING CONFINING
/DR IP
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