The government will launch a series of new initiatives to enhance healthcare services for the Hong Kong public, according to the chief executive (CE) in his policy address yesterday.

CE Donald Tsang stated that the government will launch the second stage of the public consultation on healthcare reform and financing in 2009 in order to galvanize consensus.

In the meantime, the government will make use of increased funding to implement various service reforms in the current medical system, notably the development of the healthcare market through public-private partnership.

On a pilot basis, the government will purchase services from the private sector as an additional choice for patients covered by the public Specialist Out-Patient Clinics scheme, and for specific groups of patients under the public General Out-Patient Clinics scheme.

As the partnership is intended to address the imbalance in the provision of public and private services, Tsang added, the government will also work on developing local private hospitals.

"We're identifying suitable sites, initially including the Wong Chuk Hang, Tseung Kwan O, Tai Po and North Lantau areas. We'll invite expressions of interest and proposals on hospital development from the private sector," he said.

For healthcare within communities, Tsang noted that the government will explore the feasibility of delivering services under the community healthcare model, through collaboration among the public sector, the private sector and non-government organizations.

Meanwhile, the government will set up a Working Group on Primary Care and to allocate more resources to the area. The proposal will introduce basic primary care service models, and a primary care register based on the family-doctor concept.

"Under the new service delivery model, low-income families and the under-privileged will continue to be taken care of by subsidized public healthcare services," Tsang explained.

District medical facilities are also emphasized. To meet the healthcare demands of Tin Shui Wai residents, the government plans to build a hospital in the district. The work is expected to start in 2011 and complete in 2015.

To strengthen disease prevention, the free Childhood Immunization Program (CIP) is expanded to include pneumococcal conjugate vaccine. It is estimated to cost HK$140 million and apply to babies that are born in the third quarter of 2009 and later.

Various measures will be in place to extend support for chronic patients. They include management programs for high-risk patients, and a pilot scheme to subsidize chronic patients to receive treatment, follow-up and care support from private practitioners.

Medical sector legislator Leung Ka-lau lauded the introduction of some of these initiatives, such as the establishment of a hospital in Tin Shui Wai and the expansion of the CIP program.

On the other hand, he pointed out, further research will be needed for the primary care service models, while a comprehensive list of community care practitioners are required for the implementation of the pilot scheme.

"I'm also eager to see a tentative schedule for the development of private hospitals, since the private sector has already voiced some opinions on this issue," Leung said.

(HK Edition 10/16/2008 page2)