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Following is the transcript of remarks made by the Secretary for Food and Health, Dr Ko Wing-man, after attending a public function today (April 1):
Reporter: (On recommendations of the Steering Committee on Review of Hospital Authority.)
Secretary for Food and Health: The Steering Committee on Review of Hospital Authority held the last meeting yesterday. At the meeting, the Steering Committee members went through the first complete draft of the committee report. Members generally feel that the report has reflected what they had suggested. The report is the result of an extensive consultation with the community, the staff of the Hospital Authority and professional organisations. In the report, there are major recommendations which will have significant impacts on the onward development and the management of the Hospital Authority. One of the major recommendations is the internal resource allocation mechanism which suggests the Hospital Authority to adopt a population-based funding model. Of course, we would have to allow the Hospital Authority some time to migrate towards this system of resource allocation. In the interim, the Government will earmark certain resources to supplement those hospital clusters which face particular difficulties. We anticipate that the report will be completed within the first half of this year. By that time, we will introduce the report to the Hospital Authority and the Legislative Council. I will also announce the report in detail to the public.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)
Ends/Wednesday, April 1, 2015
Issued at HKT 16:38
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