Replies to LegCo questions

LCQ11: HA rents out vacant premises to NGOs

Following is a question by the Hon Li Kwok-ying and a written reply by the Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr York Chow, in the Legislative Council today (June 21):

Question:

It has been reported that some hospital clusters under the Hospital Authority plan to rent out their vacant premises to service organisations or medical groups for the provision of medical services, so as to increase the income of the hospitals concerned. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(a) whether it knows the number of participating hospitals in the above plan, and the amount of additional income to be generated annually; and

(b) given that some private medical practitioners have pointed out that private medical practitioners will not benefit from the plan which will only give medical groups more room for development, how the authorities will address this issue and whether they have assessed the impact of the plan on the private medical treatment market?

Reply:

Madam President,

Some hospitals under the Hospital Authority (HA) are renting out part of their vacant premises to non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and universities. The objective for doing so is to make optimal use of hospital space to facilitate the development by these organisations of services that are related to hospital operation, for example, patient support services, rehabilitation services and medical/clinical research. Increasing hospital income from this source is not an objective of the HA.

Answers to the specific questions raised are as follows:

(a) At present, a total of 9 HA hospitals are renting out part of their vacant premises to NGOs or universities, with a total rental income of around $1.7 million per year. Only two premises in Tsan Yuk Hospital rented to the University of Hong Kong are being used for medical purposes providing specialist outpatient services in obstetrics and gynaecology and family therapeutic services respectively.

(b) Up to this moment, the HA does not have any plan to rent out vacant premises to medical groups for the provision of medical services. As such, there should be no question of any impact on the private medical market.


Ends/Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Issued at HKT 12:13

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