ENG-1991 — Page 190

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HEALTH

working party will identify whether there is any abuse of traditional Chinese medicine which poses a risk to health and will advise on measures that should be taken to promote the good practice of traditional Chinese medicine.

Medical Charges

The government is committed to a policy of ensuring that no-one is deprived of adequate medical treatment through lack of funds. Medical charges remain low, reflecting a substantial subsidy from public funds. Patients in the general wards of government hospitals are charged $34 a day and the fee covers everything from meals, medicine and investigation tests, to surgery or any other treatment required. The charge may be reduced or waived in cases of hardship certified by a medical social worker. A limited number of private beds are provided at major public hospitals with higher maintenance and treatment charges.

The charge for consultation at general out-patient clinics is $18, while that for specialist clinics is $28. Charges for physiotherapy, occupational therapy and child assessment are $28. Attendance at geriatric or psychiatric day centres and home visits by community nurses cost $27. These fees may also be waived if warranted.

The charge for injections and dressings in general out-patient clinics is $7, while charges for visits to family planning clinics and methadone clinics remain at $1. These levels of charges reflect and require very substantial subsidies from public funds.

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Free medical services continued to be offered at maternal and child health centres, tuberculosis and chest clinics, social hygiene clinics, and accident and emergency departments.

Training of Medical and Health Personnel

The basic training of doctors is provided by the University of Hong Kong and the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Graduates of the two medical schools are conferred degrees which are recognised by the General Medical Council of Great Britain. The medical student intake at the University of Hong Kong increased to 157 in 1991. During the year, the Chinese University of Hong Kong took in its 11th group of 146 students.

Under the licentiate scheme of the Hong Kong Medical Council, 37 externally-trained doctors passed the local licentiate examination in 1991. After satisfactory completion of an externship programme in public hospitals, they will become registered medical practitioners.

In 1989, the government decided to establish a statutory Hong Kong Academy of Medicine to be responsible for organising and supervising post-graduate and continuing medical education in Hong Kong. The purpose of the academy is to enhance clinical competence and thereby improve medical services. The academy will set standards, define the contents and duration of training courses and accredit specialist qualifications. It would have as its main objective the advancement and promotion of the science and practice of medicine.

A preparatory committee was set up in March 1990 and has been making preparations to establish the academy in 1992.

Training in dentistry is available at the Universtiy of Hong Kong which produced the seventh batch of 60 graduates in January 1991. The training of dental therapists is provided at the Tang Shiu Kin Dental Therapists Training School.