ENG-2014 — Page 181

8

Health

Organisational Framework

The Food and Health Bureau (FHB) formulates policies and allocates resources for Hong Kong's healthcare services, with the aim of protecting and promoting public health, providing lifelong holistic healthcare to every citizen, and ensuring that no one is denied medical care due to lack of means.

The Department of Health (DH) is the government's health adviser and executes healthcare policies and statutory functions. It safeguards the community's health through a range of promotional, preventive, curative and rehabilitative services.

The Hospital Authority (HA), established under the Hospital Authority Ordinance, provides public hospital and related services. It offers medical treatment and rehabilitation services to patients through hospitals, specialist clinics, general outpatient clinics, and outreaching services organised into seven 'clusters' that together serve the whole of Hong Kong.

The Health and Medical Development Advisory Committee, chaired by the Secretary for Food and Health and with members from different sectors of the community, advises government on the formulation of policies and strategies for the long-term development of medical and health services.

Healthcare Reform

In response to the challenges of an ageing population, advances in medical technology, and rising healthcare costs, the government has embarked on a number of new initiatives to enhance the long-term sustainability of the healthcare system:

• Private health insurance - the FHB published for consultation in December 2014 a proposal for a voluntary and government-regulated private health insurance scheme. The Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme sets minimum requirements for individual indemnity hospital insurance plans, which aim to enhance consumer protection and enable more people to use private health services.

• Healthcare manpower planning - the FHB is conducting a strategic review on healthcare manpower planning and professional development, covering 13 statutorily regulated healthcare professions, to ensure an adequate supply of healthcare manpower to meet Hong Kong's long-term healthcare needs.

• Private healthcare service development - the FHB released a consultation document on a proposal to enhance the regulation of private healthcare facilities (including private hospitals) for better safety and quality of private healthcare services and for greater price transparency.

Primary Care Services

Primary care is the first step in the healthcare process and covers a wide range of public health services, including health promotion and disease prevention, general outpatient services and

137