TNAG-0507-FCO40-572-Development-of-medical-and-health-services-in-Hong-Kong-1974 — Page 123

Capital improve- ments

G.F. 323

CONFIDENTIAL # 機密

- 19

$5 within 12 to 18 months thereafter - and that at that

stage charges in Government-assisted hospitals participating

in the integrated scheme should be uniform with those in

Government hospitals.

6.11

The Government agrees with the MDAC that some

increase in charges is appropriate. In the case of 1st

and 2nd class beds it is proposed that charges will for

the future be reviewed every two years, or more frequently

if the circumstances require. To cover fully costs for

3rd class beds which exceed $100 per day for maintenance

alone would however involve unacceptably high increases

particularly if the new charges were to be based on costs

at the more sophisticated Government hospitals, and this

is not the policy. In general terms, it is considered

preferable to adopt a flat rate approach rather than to

introduce variants between different kinds of treatment

and different kinds of beds. Early action will be taken

to increase the charge to #3 per day initially, and to $5

per day, which will at least cover the cost of food, with

effect from 1st April 1975, the date on which it is

proposed the new regional organisation and the integrated

scheme for hospital beds should become effective.

6.12

To secure the fullest benefits from the

proposed scheme improvements should be carried out to a

number of existing hospitals as resources permit.

These proposals would involve action as follows

to raise Kwong Wah to regional hospital

capability, a new clinical pathology unit

(a)

should be added, the hospital's physiotherapy

and medical social services should be

developed and an occupational therapy unit

CONFIDENTIAL

機密

fuld