Primary Healthcare Commission announces priority booking arrangement for Hospital Authority's Family Medicine Out-patient Services
The Primary Healthcare Commission (PHC Commission) under the Health Bureau announced today (October 24) that the Family Medicine Out-patient Services Priority Groups Pilot Scheme of the Hospital Authority (HA)'s Family Medicine Out-patient (FMOP) Services will be launched on November 4, it set the priority groups of underprivileged population in need of public primary healthcare services which could make priority booking for FMOP Services.
To address the needs of the underprivileged group in seeking consultation, the HA will launch the Pilot Scheme to allocate as appropriate some of the priority quotas to the priority groups. Priority groups include recipients of the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance Scheme, recipients of the Old Age Living Allowance aged 75 or above, Level 0 Voucher Holders of the Residential Care Service Voucher Scheme for the Elderly, and recipients of the Working Family Allowance (WFA) Scheme (the priority group eligibility for WFA Scheme recipients is valid for 12 months from the issue dates of their grant application letters).
Individuals belonging to the priority groups can be eligible in the Pilot Scheme, and make priority bookings for FMOP episodic consultations, after registering as members of District Health Centres/District Health Centre Expresses (collectively referred to as DHCs) and as priority group members for FMOP Services via the eHealth mobile application (eHealth app) or in person at DHCs. When making an appointment, registered individuals may first select their respective priority group through the booking system of the eHealth app. The system will then connect to the "HA Go" mobile application to make a booking for FMOP episodic consultations and the process does not require them to re-enter personal information. The system will offer priority quotas based on individual's eligibility as priority groups (refer to Annex). Consultation fees will be charged according to the standard rates of FMOPs.
Participants in the Pilot Scheme can also join activities organised by DHCs to better manage their own health. The Government had successfully set up DHCs in all districts across the city by the end of 2022. Each DHC will set up several satellite centres/service points, mainly providing health promotion, health risk assessment, disease screening, chronic disease management and community rehabilitation services and more. For more details, please visit the DHC website.
The Primary Healthcare Blueprint proposed developing a prevention-oriented primary healthcare system, and repositioning the HA's General Out-patient Clinic services to prioritise serving underprivileged groups. The Pilot Scheme is a major initiative according to the implementation plan of the Blueprint. Together with the HA's General Out-patient Clinic and Family Medicine Specialist Clinic services, which were unified under the name "FMOP Services" earlier this month, these measures mark that Family Medicine will be the core of the public primary healthcare, the team of FMOP will serve as family doctors for underprivileged groups, providing those in need with people-centered and prevention-focus healthcare services.
After the launch of the Pilot Scheme, the PHC Commission and the HA will closely monitor and evaluate its effectiveness and the utilisation of priority quotas. They will also reserve priority quotas as appropriate and adjust the proportion of priority quotas based on needs and the actual situation, with a view to ensuring that the priority groups will be benefited.
Primary Healthcare Commission announces priority booking arrangement for Hospital Authority's Family Medicine Out-patient Services Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Remarks by CE at media session in Beijing after reporting to President Xi Jinping
Following are the remarks by the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, at a media session in Beijing after reporting to President Xi Jinping on work on December 16:
Reporter: First, you mentioned that you reported the judgement of Jimmy Lai's case to the President. Did he touch on the case given that US President Donald Trump called on President Xi to release Lai? And secondly, did President Xi give any further instructions on social reforms regarding the Tai Po fire, and did he call for officials to be held accountable? Thank you.
Chief Executive: I reported to President Xi on what we have been doing to safeguard national security. I reported the conviction of Lai Chee-ying yesterday when the court convicted him on all three counts relating to endangering national security. I also reported to President Xi that we will continue to steadfastly uphold our duty of safeguarding national security, including the whole of the HKSAR (Hong Kong Special Administrative Region), which means the Government, the Legislative Council, and also the Judiciary. All of us have a duty under the Hong Kong National Security Law to safeguard national security. President Xi heard about what we did, and he affirmed his strong recognition of our efforts in this regard, and he also confirmed his strong support for both the Government and the Judiciary to uphold the duty of safeguarding national security. This is a case which is very important in our whole efforts to protect national security, because it confirms that for people who try to make use of different excuses, positioning themselves deceitfully in different positions, whether in relation to being a media operator or otherwise, the law clearly targets acts of the defendants that contravene the national security law. Then, they are rightfully convicted by the court based on evidence and legal principles. President Xi encouraged us to continue our efforts in this regard, but I must also make use of this opportunity to condemn government officials or media organisations outside Hong Kong, who tried to mislead the public and ignore the strong reasons that were very clearly spelled out in the judgement concerning the crimes committed by Lai. Some organisations, particularly foreign media organisations, deliberately mislead the public and deliberately whitewash the criminal acts of Lai under the cloak of so-called "media tycoon". And these organisations' objective is to obscure Lai's shameless acts and subversive actions as an agent of external forces to infiltrate and brainwash young people, through manipulating the media to incite the public and betraying the interests of the country and the people.
As regards the Government's efforts in helping out affected families who suffered in the Tai Po fire, President Xi listened to what the Hong Kong Government has done and also what we are doing in helping the affected families, the relief that we have all been doing to help and support them. About the action to help them to recover as well as the action to help society as a whole to recover, he encouraged us to continue to work hard on that. He has mentioned that it has to be a consistent and continuous effort - this is exactly what I am doing together with my government team. I reported to him the establishment of the Independent Committee, which will fairly and justly look into two critical topics that relate to the cause of the wide-spread fire, and also the long-standing problem that troubles a lot of people in Hong Kong regarding large-scale building renovation work. I have told him these two topics are big topics that will involve a lot of work. I have mentioned the gratitude that I have for the Chairman and the two members to boldly undertake these two very important responsibilities. I have said that I have given nine months for the Independent Committee to complete its work, which is a pressing timetable because, unlike other previous setups, we are dealing with two main topics instead of one. This is actually asking the Independent Committee to do two major tasks almost in parallel; that will be very demanding. That is also why I reported that I have given this reserve power for the Independent Committee - on the one hand, they can really streamline procedures to increase efficiency so that they can finish the work as soon as possible, and at the same time ensure that they will have the power necessary if it is required at the time to address certain issues and areas. I have made it very clear to President Xi that the Committee's purpose is to find out the truth and also to look for accountability. I have repeated that many times before our friends of media, and I want to repeat it again. We'll ensure that no stone will be left unturned to probe the truth and find out the loopholes and those who are responsible, and then accountability will come in.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the remarks.)
Remarks by CE at media session in Beijing after reporting to President Xi Jinping Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Remarks by CE at media session in Beijing after reporting to President Xi Jinping Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Remarks by CE at media session in Beijing after reporting to President Xi Jinping Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
