Replies to LegCo questions

LCQ17: HA's plan to contract out the outpatient clinic services

        Following is a question by the Dr Hon Lo Wing-lok and a written reply by the Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr Yeoh Eng-kiong, in the Legislative Council today (June 23):

 

Question:

 

        It has been reported that the Hospital Authority (HA) plans to contract out the general outpatient clinic service of the Kowloon West hospital cluster and is currently negotiating this with a doctors' union.  The scheme is likely to be implemented within this year.  In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

 

(a)    of the implementation date of the said scheme;

 

(b)    of the criteria HA adopts for selecting the service contractor; and whether HA has assessed if there will be any conflict of interests in contracting out its service to a union which aims at safeguarding the interests of doctors; if it has, of the assessment result;

 

(c)    if HA has assessed whether there will be a reduction in the number of patients, who now pay $45 consultation fee only, who will attend the clinics concerned, after the implementation of the scheme; if there will be, of the estimated number and rate of the reduction as well as the measures to cater for the medical needs of those patients who are unwilling to attend those clinics which have been contracted out; and

 

(d)    if HA will consult those staff who might be affected, the relevant District Councils and the Legislative Council on the said scheme; if it will, when it will conduct the consultation?

 

Reply:

 

(a) and (b)        The HA is conducting an overall review of the services provided by its general outpatient clinics to identify areas of improvement.  The review has not yet been completed.  The HA has no plans to contract out its general outpatient services at present and has not discussed any such plans with any organisation.

 

(c)    Irrespective of the mode of service delivery, patients at HA's general outpatient clinics will be charged in accordance with the list of charges published in the Gazette.

 

(d)    In accordance with established practice in the past, the Administration will consult the Health Services Panel of the Legislative Council on major new policy initiatives.  The community will also be consulted as and when necessary.  It is also an established practice at the HA to consult staff before implementing major changes.

 

Ends/Wednesday, June 23, 2004

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