ENG-2015 — Page 174

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Health

Organisational Framework

The Food and Health Bureau formulates policies and allocates resources for healthcare services, with the aim of protecting and promoting public health, providing lifelong holistic care to every resident and ensuring no one is denied medical help due to lack of means.

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

The Hospital Authority, established under the Hospital Authority Ordinance, provides public hospital and related services. It offers medical treatment and rehabilitation services through hospitals, specialist clinics, general outpatient clinics and outreach services organised into seven clusters that together serve the whole city.

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 the 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, the government has embarked on a number of initiatives to enhance the long-term sustainability of the healthcare system:

• Private insurance - The bureau consulted the public from December 2014 to April 2015 on the introduction of a government-regulated private health insurance scheme. The Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme sets minimum requirements for individual indemnity hospital insurance plans, which aim to protect consumers better and enable more people to use private health services.

• Manpower planning and professional development - The bureau is conducting a strategic review to meet projected demand for manpower and foster professional development of healthcare professions.

• Development of private services - The bureau is preparing new legislation to revamp the regulatory regime for private healthcare facilities.

Primary Care Services

Primary care is the first step in the healthcare process. It covers a wide range of public services, including health promotion and disease prevention, general outpatient services and special health services for people in specific age groups who do not require immediate hospital attention.

Clinics

Primary care services are mainly provided by the private sector. The Hospital Authority operates 73 general outpatient clinics/community health centres that are targeted at serving the elderly,

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