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Following is a question by the Dr Hon Lam Tai-fai and a written reply by the Secretary for Food and Health, Dr York Chow, in the Legislative Council today (April 22):
Question:
Given that the cooperation of Chinese and Western medicine practitioners in treating patients may generate complementary effects, Chinese medical therapies are widely practised overseas, and the Government is open-minded towards the setting up of a Chinese medicine hospital (CMH), will the Government inform this Council:
(a) when the Government will commence a study on the setting up of a CMH and what the relevant details are; if it cannot commence the study immediately, of the reasons for that;
(b) whether the Government will consider providing subsidies or other incentives to private medical institutions to encourage them to establish and operate CMHs; if it will, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(c) whether it has assessed the number of CMHs whose operational needs can be met by graduates from existing local full-time undergraduate degree courses in Chinese medicine each year, and whether the places in such courses are sufficient to meet the demand; if it has made such an assessment, of the outcome; whether it will consider allocating more resources to increase the number of places in such courses;
(d) whether the Government will consider providing more clinical internship opportunities to students of undergraduate degree courses in Chinese medicine; if it will, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(e) whether it has any plan to enhance cooperation with relevant Mainland authorities to capitalise on the experience of the Chinese medicine practitioners on the Mainland to assist in the training of local talents in Chinese medicine and develop the Chinese medicine sector into a major export industry?
Reply:
President,
The contribution of Chinese medicine to the primary healthcare services is widely recognised by the public. For patients who need to be hospitalised or suffer from severe illnesses, they are treated by Western medical practitioners generally, while the Chinese medicine practitioners (CMPs) may play a supplementary role.
In Hong Kong, setting up a purely Chinese medicine hospital may not provide the most comprehensive treatment to patients. The long-term goal of the Administration in promoting the development of Chinese medicine is to develop, through an evidence-based approach, a model of collaboration between Chinese and Western medical practitioners that can meet the actual circumstances and needs of Hong Kong.
(a) In view of the actual needs of patients, the Hospital Authority (HA) is trying out different models of Chinese and Western medicines shared care services. For instance, the Kwong Wah Hospital has developed a concerted plan for the treatment of common diseases which respond favourably to the combined use of Chinese and Western medicines, and established an inter-referral system between Chinese and Western medical practitioners in its day treatment services; the Princess Margaret Hospital (Lai King Building) and the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals Fung Yiu King Hospital provide Chinese and Western medicines shared care services in their geriatric units; the Shatin Hospital, the Haven of Hope Hospital and the Duchess of Kent Children's Hospital have introduced Chinese medicine therapy into their integrated neuro-rehabilitation service for in-patients. The Tuen Mun Hospital will also introduce Chinese medicine into its in-patient integrated treatment following the implementation of Chinese medicine day rehabilitation service.
On cancer treatment, acupuncture has been used as pain relief treatment for terminal cancer patients in the Centre for Cancer of the Prince of Wales Hospital. The Ha Kwai Chung Chinese Medicine Centre is also exploring the delivery of Chinese and Western medicines integrated services for cancer patients from the Cancer Centre of Princess Margaret Hospital. In view of the increasing demand for Chinese medical treatment for pain, the Ngau Tau Kok Chinese Medicine Centre and United Christian Hospital have jointly piloted a Chinese and Western medicines integration programme to provide acupuncture and/or acupressure treatment for chronic pain.
We will continue to introduce Chinese medicine service into the existing hospital services. To optimise the potential of Chinese medicine treatment, combined Chinese and Western medical treatment will be provided on a trial basis for specific health conditions. A similar Chinese and Western medicines integration model will be considered to be incorporated in the proposed Chinese medicine building under the Kwong Wah Hospital Redevelopment Project.
(b) Chinese medicine service has primarily been provided by the private sector in Hong Kong. To promote the further development of the Chinese medicine service, the Government has established public Chinese medicine clinics (CMCs) in various districts since 2003. The CMCs have adopted a tripartite model in which the HA collaborates with a non-governmental organisation (NGO) and a local university in each of the clinics. Under this model of collaboration, the HA provides a modernised infrastructure for the management and service delivery by the clinics; the universities manage the training and research programmes of the clinics; and the NGOs operate the clinics based on their comprehensive local service network and experience in providing medical/community services. These three parts are complementary to one and other.
We consider that public and private Chinese medicine services can complement each other in meeting the community needs. Over the years, we have helped NGOs develop Chinese medicine service in different ways. For instance, we are launching a pilot scheme with the Pok Oi Hospital to allow its Chinese Medicine Vehicles to offer medical consultation in public day general out-patient clinics.
As regards the operation of a Chinese medicine hospital by the private sector, we will carefully study the different aspects of a proposal and take the necessary measures as appropriate.
(c) At present, the three local universities funded by the University Grants Committee, namely the University of Hong Kong, the Chinese University of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Baptist University, provide a total of 79 places for undergraduate degree courses in Chinese medicine per year.
Students of undergraduate courses in Chinese medicine of the three local universities can obtain registration status as CMPs through taking and passing the CMPs Licensing Examination. Besides, under the Chinese Medicine Ordinance, persons who have completed courses recognised by the Chinese Medicine Practitioners Board of the Chinese Medicine Council and listed CMPs are also eligible to sit for the licensing examination. In 2008, a total of 327 people passed the CMPs Licensing Examination and obtained the registration status. As such, the local supply of human resources in Chinese medicine is sufficient and is able to meet the needs in the community.
(d) At present, all three local full-time Chinese medicine degree courses recognised by the Chinese Medicine Practitioners Board are required to provide at least 30 weeks of clinical internship for the students. These three local universities have their own CMCs to train their students. As for hospital services, all local universities will arrange for their students to get exposure to relevant experience in the Mainland.
In addition, the Government actively provides clinical internship opportunities for graduates of degree courses in Chinese medicine. Currently, each public CMC has to employ at least five graduates of degree courses in Chinese medicine as junior CMPs for one year, so as to provide training opportunities. The Government is planning to further extend such training by providing junior CMPs with the second and third years of training in public CMC, so as to provide more opportunities of clinical internship for them.
(e) Since the enactment of the Chinese Medicine Ordinance in 1999 and the establishment of the Chinese Medicine Council of Hong Kong, we have been working in close cooperation with the relevant Mainland authorities such as the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine (SATCM) and the State Food and Drug Administration to ensure the smooth management and development of Chinese medicine in Hong Kong.
As regards the administration of CMPs, the SATCM provides expert assistance in the accreditation of degree courses in Chinese medicine and the CMPs Licensing Examination. Meanwhile, Chinese medicine experts in the Mainland may come to Hong Kong through the limited registration system for conducting clinical research and educational work in local universities and scientific research institutions. Chinese medicine institutions in the Mainland also provide internship opportunities to students of undergraduate courses in Chinese medicine of the three local universities to further facilitate exchanges between Hong Kong and the Mainland.
To further deepen mutual cooperation in Chinese medicine, the Food and Health Bureau and SATCM entered into a cooperation agreement on Chinese medicine in November 2007. The scope of cooperation covers: strategy for the development of Chinese medicine, policy and statute on Chinese medicine, Chinese medicine treatment and development of combined Chinese and Western medical treatments, standards of Chinese medicine, training of CMPs, hospital administration and implementation of cultural and scientific activities in Chinese medicine.
Ends/Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Issued at HKT 18:55
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