TNAG-0655-FCO40-804-Development-of-medical-and-health-services-in-Hong-Kong-1977 — Page 38

HONG KONG

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SUMMARY

A previous report, that of March 1976, detailed a number of future developments in Hong Kong, both in the Government and in the private sector. The impression given at that time was of a building programme which would result in the provision of a further 5,000 beds during the next 10 years, excluding the 1,300 bed psychiatric wing of the Princess Margaret Hospital, which was already under construction.

1.2 During this recent brief visit, which was made in conjunction with the British Medical Trade Mission (sponsored by the British Health-Care Export Council), confirmation was given of several of the developments previously referred to. There is no doubt that these projects will take place and the size of the overall future development suggests that the Colony will become one of the two most important medical markets in SE Asia (the other being Singapore) during the next 10 years. A further attraction in Hong Kong as a market, is its location: it is ideally situated and is extensively used for trading with the Peoples Republic of China, Taiwan, South Korea and Vietnam.

1.3 The immediate result of the programme which is covered in some detail in the ensuing paragraphs, will be to provide a total of 22,000 hospital beds in the Colony ie 4.5 beds per 1,000 population. This further provision of facilities must inevitably lead to serious consideration of an outward mission to countries which must include Hong Kong in 1978, and possibly to consideration of an inward mission to include some Heads of Departments of the Sha Tin Teaching Hospital when the time is appropriate. The latter may also be relevant in 1978.

2.1 GENERAL COMMENT

Clinically, the philosophy of medical training closely follows the UK pattern and this is likely to be continued with the development of the second Chinese University of Sha Tin, although there is a certain orientation towards the USA in the present Chinese University. Economically, there are no problems in trading with Hong Kong: there are no import controls and virtually no currency problems: there is a healthy employment situation and a boom in construction work. The general economy is believed to have fully recovered from the set-back experienced in 1974 and showed an increase in exports and net growth rate in both 1975 and 1976.

2.2 Commercially, Hong Kong is a market which, like others in that area, has to be paid the proper amount of attention: not only from the point of view of making certain that information ie literature, prices etc is made available to the 'end users' direct from UK if necessary but also that the basic courtesies of business acknowledgment of order, adherence to stated delivery dates, are strictly observed. Again, during this recent visit, examples were given of products being promised within a reasonable delivery time, but 9 months later the items still had not been received: reminders had apparently been ignored and no explanations forthcoming. A classic example of how to lose friends in the present, and orders in the future.

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