XN000022-1990-07-25 — Page 16

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 1990

"IT

ENSURES

THAT HOSPITAL FEES REMAIN A MATTER ON WHICH GOVERNMENT

HAS WILL ULTIMATELY DETERMINE POLICY. THE GOVERNMENT WASHED ITS HANDS OF THE MATTER.

THE

NOT

"THIS IS FURTHER REINFORCED BY THE AMENDMENTS TO CLAUSE 18 ΤΟ BE MOVED IN COMMITTEE.

"MOREOVER, CLAUSE 4 (D) STATES THAT NO PERSON SHALL BE PREVENTED, THROUGH LACK OF MEANS, FROM OBTAINING ADEQUATE MEDICAL TREATMENT, SHE SAID.

++

THE

MRS WONG POINTED OUT THAT NEVER BEFORE HAD THIS PRINCIPLE, CORNER STONE OF THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICY ON HEALTH CARE, BEEN SO CLEARLY ENSHRINED IN THE LAW ITSELF, ADDING THAT NEVER BEFORE HAD THERE BEEN SUCH A SAFEGUARD FOR OUR PEOPLE.

TURNING TO STAFF REACTION, SHE SAID THAT THEIR CONCERNS WERE WELL KNOWN.

**ALTHOUGH THESE CONCERNS ARE OUTSIDE THE PROVISIONS OF THIS PIECE OF ENABLING LEGISLATION, I THINK THESE ISSUES ARE VERY IMPORTANT, MRS WONG SAID.

14

"AND THEREFORE I TEND TO AGREE WITH MY HONOURABLE FRIENDS MR IT MARTIN LEE, MR RONALD CHOW, MR TAM YIU-CHUNG AND MRS ELSIE TỰ THAT CANNOT BE GOOD FOR THE PUBLIC IF THE HEALTH STAFF THEMSELVES, THE PROFESSIONALS INVOLVED IN THIS BUSINESS, WHO ARE KEY TO OUR PROPOSED REFORMS, ARE UNTRUSTING AND DISGRUNTLED. WE NEED THEIR SUPPORT AND PLEAD FOR GOODWILL AND UNDERSTANDING, SHE ADDED.

I

MRS WONG POINTED OUT THAT IT WOULD BE A PITY IF THE PLAN WHICH WAS THE RESULT OF MANY YEARS OF HARD WORK BY MANY EXPERTS SHOULD FOUNDER ON A LACK OF TRUST.

"IT WOULD BE A PITY IF WE HAVE TO THROW AWAY THE BABY WITH THE BATH WATER, ON A LACK OF GOODWILL, SHE SAID.

TURNING TO THE SUBJECT OF CONSULTATION, MRS WONG SAID SINCE 1985, THERE HAD BEEN CONTINUOUS, PROTRACTED CONSULTATION.

"AND THIS WAS STEPPED UP IN 1988, CULMINATING IN INTENSIVE BRIEFING AND CONSULTATION SINCE APRIL THIS YEAR, NOT ONLY WITH STAFF AND ALSO WITH THE GENERAL PUBLIC.

"WE'VE HAD NUMEROUS MEETINGS AND PRESENTATION OF THE HOSPITAL AUTHORITY CASE TO DISTRICT BOARDS AND OTHER LOCAL COMMUNITIES.

1+

*WE HAVE ARRANGED 70 SESSIONS WITH STAFF ALTHOUGH 20 OF THEM HAVE BEEN BOYCOTTED. NEVERTHELESS, WE HAD 50 SESSIONS AND IN OUR GENUINE EFFORT TO REACH OUT TO THE STAFF, WE PUBLISHED LEAFLETS, ESTABLISHED HOTLINES, ARRANGED SMALL GROUP DISCUSSIONS, DIRECTLY INDIRECTLY THROUGH MASS FORA, VARIOUS CHANNELS REACHED OUT.

AND

/"NOW, FURTHERMORE