Press Releases

Call for Health Care and Promotion Scheme applications

The Food and Health Bureau (FHB) invites non-profit-making organisations to submit applications to the Health Care and Promotion Scheme (HCPS) for implementing health promotion projects to improve public health.

To create synergy and provide more flexibility in the support of health and medical research and health promotion efforts, the Health Care and Promotion Fund (HCPF) has been incorporated into the Health and Medical Research Fund (HMRF) and renamed as the HCPS, a spokesman for FHB said today (April 28).

"The HCPS supports evidence-based health promotion projects that encourage people to adopt healthier lifestyles by enhancing public health awareness, changing adverse health behaviours and creating a conducive environment that supports good health practices. The incorporation of the HCPF into the HMRF allows health promotion projects to be implemented on a larger scale with more capacity for community participation," the spokesman said.

Innovative proposals addressing specific areas of health promotion listed in the thematic priorities are now invited. The suggested health promotion work should be based on scientific evidence and evaluated in a systematic way. Collaboration between tertiary institutions and community organisations is highly encouraged to generate new evidence-based practices which can be applied in the local community.

The normal grant ceiling for a proposal is $1.2 million with a usual duration of two years. Each principal applicant is allowed to submit one application (either a new application or resubmission). The principal applicant must represent a non-profit-making organisation, a registered community group, a group formed under a registered non-profit-making body, a local tertiary institution or a public hospital.

Priority consideration will be given to applications targeting ill-health underprivileged groups and programmes carried out in community settings in the following thematic areas:

Tobacco control
Lifestyle, nutrition and physical activity
Mental well-being
Injury prevention
Reducing alcohol-related problems
Promoting family doctor model of care
Empowering the community in the management of chronic diseases and strengthening preventive care in children and elderly
Cancer prevention
Breastfeeding
Healthy use of Internet and electronic screen products
Organ donation

Applications will be reviewed by independent experts of the Health Care and Promotion Committee and its Promotion Sub-committee, comprising healthcare professionals and experts, individuals involved in community affairs and government representatives.

The assessment criteria include relevance to the thematic priorities, scientific evidence of effectiveness of the proposed health promotion activities, innovation, evaluation plan of programme effectiveness, sustainability and effect of the programme, cross-sector collaboration, potential for enhancing community health, feasibility, justification of the requested budget, and track record of the administering institution and applicants.

The closing date of applications is July 31, 2017 (18:00 Hong Kong time).

Guidance notes, explanatory notes, application forms and details on the thematic priorities can be obtained from the website of the FHB's Research Fund Secretariat at rfs.fhb.gov.hk. Enquiries can be faxed to 2102 2444 or e-mailed to rfs@fhb.gov.hk.

Ends/Friday, April 28, 2017
Issued at HKT 14:50
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