The Government announced today (November 29) the establishment of the Steering Committee on Primary Healthcare Development to develop a blueprint for the sustainable development of primary healthcare services for Hong Kong. 
 
     The Secretary for Food and Health, Professor Sophia Chan, said that the Steering Committee will comprehensively review the existing planning of primary healthcare services and devise service models to provide primary healthcare services via district-based medical-social collaboration in the community. 
 
     "As highlighted in 'The Chief Executive's 2017 Policy Address', the Government is determined to step up efforts to promote individual and community involvement, enhance co-ordination among various medical and social sectors, and strengthen district-level primary healthcare services. Through these measures, we aim to encourage the public to take precautionary measures against diseases, enhance their capability in self-care and home care, and reduce the demand for hospitalisation. The Steering Committee, comprising experts from related fields, would also develop strategies to raise community awareness and exploit the use of big data to devise strategies that best fit the needs of the community," Professor Chan said.
 
     The Steering Committee will be underpinned by the Working Group on District Health Centre Pilot Project in Kwai Tsing District in taking forward the pilot district health centre in Kwai Tsing. The planned district health centre, with a brand new operation mode and funding from the Government, aims to enhance the public's awareness of disease prevention and their ability in self-management of health through public-private partnership, and provide support for the chronically ill. The centre will make use of the local network to procure services (e.g. nursing service, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and counselling service on the use of medication) so that the public can receive the necessary care in the community. With the experience from the pilot project, the Government will set up district health centres in other districts progressively.
 
     Members of the Steering Committee and the Working Group are appointed by the Secretary for Food and Health for a term of three years from December 1, 2017, to November 30, 2020. The Steering Committee and the Working Group are chaired by the Secretary and the Under Secretary for Food and Health respectively.
 
     The membership list of the Steering Committee on Primary Healthcare Development is as follows:
 
Chairperson
Professor Sophia Chan Siu-chee (Secretary for Food and Health)
 
Non-official members
Mr Philip Chiu Kwok-leung (President, Pharmaceutical Society of Hong Kong)
Mr Chua Hoi-wai (Chief Executive, Hong Kong Council of Social Service)
Dr Lam Ching-choi (Chairman, Elderly Commission)
Professor Cindy Lam Lo-kuen (Head, Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care, University of Hong Kong)
Professor Gabriel Matthew Leung (Dean, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong)
Dr Donald Li Kwok-tung (President-elect, World Organization of Family Doctors)
Mr Shum Ho-kit (Chairman, Yuen Long District Council)
Professor Hector Tsang Wing-hong (Professor and Head, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Hong Kong Polytechnic University)
Professor Frances Wong Kam-yuet (President, Hong Kong Academy of Nursing Limited)
Professor Samuel Wong Yeung-shan (Head, Division of Family Medicine and Primary Healthcare, Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, Chinese University of Hong Kong)
Dr Zhu En (Chairman, Hong Kong Registered Chinese Medicine Practitioners Association)
 
Ex-officio members
Permanent Secretary for Food and Health (Health)
Permanent Secretary for Labour and Welfare (or representative)
Director of Health (or representative)
Director of Home Affairs (or representative)
Head, Primary Care Office, Department of Health (or representative)
Chief Executive, Hospital Authority (or representative)
Chief Manager (Nursing), Hospital Authority (or representative)
 
     The membership list of the Working Group on District Health Centre Pilot Project in Kwai Tsing District is as follows:
 
Chairperson
Dr Chui Tak-yi (Under Secretary for Food and Health)
 
Non-official members
Dr Douglas Chan (private medical practitioner)
Mr Law King-shing (Chairman, Kwai Tsing District Council)
Ms Adela Lai Shuet-fun (Senior Nursing Manager, CUHK Medical Centre Planning Office)
Dr Arisina Ma (Resident Specialist, Department of Medicine and Geriatrics, United Christian Hospital)
Mr Ivan Wong Yun-tat (Member, Kwai Tsing District Council)
 
Ex-officio members
Assistant Director (Family and Elderly Health Services), Department of Health (or representative)
Head, Primary Care Office, Department of Health (or representative)
District Officer (Kwai Tsing), Home Affairs Department (or representative)
District Social Welfare Officer (Tsuen Wan and Kwai Tsing), Social Welfare Department (or representative)
Nursing Officer, Tsuen Wan & Kwai Tsing District Visiting Health Team, Department of Health (or representative)
Cluster Chief Executive (Kowloon West), Hospital Authority (or representative)

Ends/Wednesday, November 29, 2017
Issued at HKT 15:00

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