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The Government today (October 22) welcomed the release of an action plan by the Hospital Authority (HA), which has formulated concrete steps and a timetable to implement the recommendations earlier proposed by the Steering Committee on Review of the HA (Steering Committee) to improve the services provided by the HA.
A spokesman for the Food and Health Bureau said, "We note that the HA has taken immediate actions to implement or will implement the recommendations gradually within three years. The HA will regularly submit progress reports to the Government on the implementation of the action plan. The Government will closely monitor the HA's work to ensure the timely and full implementation of the recommendations.
"With the full implementation of the various recommendations of the Steering Committee, we are confident that the HA will continue to perform well its role under our twin-track healthcare system as the cornerstone of our public healthcare system, and to provide a safety net for all, amid the challenges of an ageing population, increased prevalence of chronic diseases and rapid advances in medical technology."
Chaired by the Secretary for Food and Health, Dr Ko Wing-man, the Steering Committee was established in 2013 to conduct a comprehensive review of the operation of the HA. Members include healthcare professionals, academics, representatives from the welfare sector and patients' rights associations.
The Steering Committee has explored viable options for enhancing the cost effectiveness and service quality of the HA with a view to providing it with increased capacity to cope with future challenges. In its report released in July 2015, the Steering Committee made a total of 10 major recommendations, focusing on issues which are of concern to patients, community members and HA staff. These issues include long waiting times, co-ordination problems of clusters, resources allocation, and staffing and training arrangements.
Ends/Thursday, October 22, 2015
Issued at HKT 20:18
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