XN000022-1994-10-26 — Page 58

QUALITY IMPROVEMENT OF SERVICES

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 1994

WE ARE AWARE OF THE NEED ΤΟ

ACHIEVE

CONTINUAL QUALITY IMPROVEMENT IN OUR MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES. THIS IS A COMPLEX TASK INVOLVING THE TRAINING OF STAFF, ESTABLISHMENT OF BENCHMARKS, FORMULATION OF OPERATIONAL GUIDELINES AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF MONITORING MECHANISMS. TO THIS END, THE HOSPITAL AUTHORITY IS ALREADY PROMULGATING OUTCOME INDICATORS IN ALL CLINICAL SPECIALTIES AND HAS LAID DOWN A BASIC FRAMEWORK FOR QUALITY ASSURANCE. BUT TO ACHIEVE OUR AIM, WE NEED THE FULL SUPPORT AND CONTINUED DEDICATION OF OUR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS AND THE COMMUNITY. CONSIDERABLE RESOURCES DEVOTED IN THE COMING YEAR TOWARDS THE ENHANCEMENT OF TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT.

HAVE BEEN PERSONNEL

HEALTHCARE REFORM

SINCE

WE ARE ALSO AWARE OF THE NEED FOR HEALTHCARE REFORM. MEMBERS DEBATED, AND VOTED IN FAVOUR OF, HEALTHCARE REFORM LAST YEAR, WE HAVE BEEN BUSY FINALISING AND IMPLEMENTING THE SUPPORTED OPTIONS IN THE CONSULTATION DOCUMENT "TOWARDS BETTER HEALTH". THIS DOCUMENT CLEARLY SPELLS OUT THE PRINCIPLES BEHIND OUR HEALTHCARE POLICY AND THE RATIONALE FOR OUR REFORM PROPOSALS.

REFORM IS A LONG AND DIFFICULT PROCESS. IF WE ARE TO KEEP IMPROVING SERVICES ΤΟ MEET THE NEEDS OF PATIENTS, IN THE FACE OF RISING COSTS, INCREASING DEMAND AND ADVANCES IN MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY, CHANGES MUST BE MADE TO THE EXISTING SYSTEM. I AM SURE THAT MEMBERS WHO HAVE CALLED FOR HEALTHCARE REFORM APPRECIATE THIS POINT AND THAT THEY WILL LEND THEIR SUPPORT TO SUCH CHANGES.

APART FROM THESE ISSUES, WE WILL KEEP UNDER REVIEW OTHER SIGNIFICANT AREAS OF CONCERN SUCH AS PATIENTS * RIGHTS, THE PROPOSAL TO SEPARATE PRESCRIBING FROM DRUG DISPENSING AND THE SETTING OF TARGETS FOR THE PREVENTION OF DISEASES.

IN CLOSING, MR PRESIDENT, I HOPE THAT MEMBERS WILL FIND TIME TO REFER AGAIN TO MY POLICY COMMITMENTS. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT DOCUMENT WHICH IDENTIFIES IMMEDIATE AND LONG-TERM STEPS TO MEET DEMANDS FOR MORE AND EVEN BETTER SERVICES AT A COST WHICH THE COMMUNITY CAN AFFORD. WE SHALL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH OUR DEDICATED SOCIAL WORKERS, HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS AND WITH OUR PARTNERS IN THE NON-

ORGANISATIONS TO MEET THESE OBJECTIVES.

GOVERNMENTAL

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