Hong Kong – Secretary for Health briefs representatives of healthcare professional bodies on healthcare-related policy initiatives in Policy Address (with photo)

     The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, met with representatives of the Hong Kong Academy of Medicine, statutory boards and councils of various healthcare professions, as well as healthcare professional bodies accredited under the Accredited Registers Scheme for Healthcare Professions today (December 13), exchanging views on the various healthcare-related policy initiatives in The Chief Executive’s 2022 Policy Address. Representatives of the Hospital Authority and the Department of Health also attended the meeting.
      
     At the meeting, Professor Lo briefed the representatives of the healthcare professional bodies on the healthcare-related policy initiatives set out in the Policy Address, covering eight policy areas which include primary healthcare, public hospital services, healthcare manpower supply, development of Chinese medicine, mental health, tobacco control, healthcare co-operation with the Mainland, as well as prevention and control of the epidemic. He also took the opportunity to listen to the views of the sector on the relevant initiatives.
      
     Professor Lo said, “The current healthcare system relies more on treatment than prevention, with resources skewed heavily towards, and huge pressure exerted on, public hospitals. With an ageing population and increasing prevalence of chronic diseases, public hospitals will be overburdened.
      
     “In order to ensure that sufficient healthcare manpower is available to deliver various healthcare services to members of the public, the Government must revamp the healthcare system and promote primary healthcare apart from increasing the supply of manpower and strengthening the training for healthcare professionals. The Primary Healthcare Blueprint to be launched this year will set the way forward for the provision of comprehensive, sustainable and people-centric primary healthcare services in the community. Among all, on top of the District Health Centres which will serve as the hub for co-ordinating primary healthcare services for citizens, we will also enhance the Elderly Health Care Voucher Scheme and better utilise multi-disciplinary healthcare services, etc.
      
      “I would like to express gratitude to the representatives of the healthcare professional bodies for their valuable advice in relation to the healthcare-related policy initiatives in the Policy Address. The Government will continue to work hand in hand with the relevant stakeholders to provide highly effective and quality healthcare services to citizens, with a view to building a healthy and vibrant Hong Kong.”