ENG-1989 — Page 27

A VISION OF THE FUTURE

establish a Hong Kong Academy of Medicine. This will be a statutory body with authority to set standards in post-graduate medical education; to decide the content and length of training courses, and to accredit those who have passed the required examinations. Hong Kong will then have its own system for ensuring that doctors are properly trained and locally qualified in the various clinical specialities.

Social Welfare

Since the publication of the 1979 White Paper on Social Welfare, we have made good progress in developing our policies and services to meet the needs and expectations of our community. We have a comprehensive safety net to make sure that no-one in our community need fall below basic living standards. We have a wide range of services from day care centres to residential homes.

It is now time to take stock of the progress we have made and to make sure that our policies and standards continue to meet the needs of Hong Kong into the 1990s and beyond. I have, therefore, asked the Secretary for Health and Welfare to launch a review of our social welfare services in conjunction with the subvented sector. The government will then in the second half of next year publish a White Paper setting out our proposals on the way ahead. In the meantime, additional funds will be available this year to reduce case loads in family service centres and social security field units operated by the Social Welfare Department.

One problem that we face is a shortage of trained social workers. A good many professional staff have emigrated. To fill the gaps, a number of measures are already being taken, for example substantially increasing the intake of social work students into our tertiary institutions. But, in planning improvements to our services, we must take care not to place impossible burdens on our existing staff, both in the government and subvented sectors. They already have very heavy workloads.

Separately, we will continue to develop our rehabilitation services with the aim, where possible, of integrating the disabled into the community. The objective will be to steadily improve the quality of services while, at the same time, extending them to cover more of those in need. Particular emphasis is now being placed on employment for disabled people so that they can, to the greatest extent possible, earn their own living. Funds will be made available to provide additional teachers in schools for the disabled so as to expand the curriculum and include career counselling and civic education. In April 1990, we will also be extending the higher rate of disability allowance to those aged 15 and under who require constant care and attention. This will go some way to recognising the additional financial burdens faced by the parents of these young people.

Youth

One quarter of our population is under the age of 25. These young people will provide our future leadership and workforce. To help us meet their needs and respond to their aspirations, the government proposes to set up early next year a Commission on Youth. This will be chaired by a non-official and will include senior government officials and a wide range of other members from the community, including young people. The commission's terms of reference will be to advise the government on how best to implement our objectives for the development of youth services. We believe that we should develop what will amount to a charter for youth which will give our young people the best pos- sible educational opportunities; promote physical and mental fitness; give young people

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