XN000022-1992-04-01 — Page 34

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, 1992

"SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN VERY CO-OPERATIVE AND HAVE RESPONDED IN A

HE SAID. POSITIVE MANNER WHEN THEY ARE ADVISED OF PROBLEM AREAS,

+

HE ALSO NOTED THAT SINCE 1987 THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT HAD RECEIVED A TOTAL OF 23 COMPLAINTS ABOUT EXCESSIVE SCHOOLWORK, TESTS AND EXAMINATIONS IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS.

FIVE OF THESE COMPLAINTS WERE SUBSTANTIATED IN

HE SAID.

0

INVESTIGATIONS,

APPLICATIONS FOR WAIVERS OF MEDICAL CHARGES TO SIMPLIFY

THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT (SWD) AND THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ARE DISCUSSING WAYS TO SIMPLIFY THE PROCEDURES FOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE RECIPIENTS ΤΟ RECEIVE FREE MEDICAL SERVICES AT PUBLIC HOSPITALS AND CLINICS.

ONE POSSIBLE OPTION IS TO PROVIDE FREE MEDICAL CARE TO SUCH RECIPIENTS UPON THE PRODUCTION OF THE "CASH ORDER BOOK" ISSUED TO THEM BY THE SWD.

THIS WAS STATED BY THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND

WELFARE, MRS ELIZABETH WONG, IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON LAU CHIN-SHEK AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

AT PRESENT, PUBLIC ASSISTANCE RECIPIENTS VISITING OUT-PATIENT CLINICS WHICH DO NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL SOCIAL SERVICE WILL HAVE TO FIRST APPLY FOR A WAIVER CERTIFICATE FROM A SWD FIELD UNIT.

THE WAIVER CERTIFICATE IS REQUIRED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH FOR AUDIT CONTROL PURPOSE.

MRS WONG POINTED OUT THAT ΤΟ SIMPLIFY THE APPLICATION PROCEDURES WOULD SAVE THE RECIPIENTS FROM HAVING TO MAKE AN EXTRA TRIP TO A FIELD UNIT.

DURING THE LAST 12 MONTHS, SOME 87,000 APPLICATIONS FOR WAIVERS OF MEDICAL CHARGES WERE RECEIVED FROM PUBLIC ASSISTANCE RECIPIENTS.

OF THIS NUMBER, ABOUT 50,000 APPLICATIONS WERE HANDLED BY THE SWD AND THE REST WERE DEALT WITH DIRECTLY BY MEDICAL SOCIAL WORKERS AT HOSPITALS AND SPECIALIST CLINICS.

AND OUT OF THE TOTAL APPLICATIONS RECEIVED, ABOUT 65,000 WERE FROM PERSONS AGED 60 AND OVER.

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