Regarding a media report on the Chronic Disease Co-Care Pilot Scheme (CDCC Scheme) published today (July 17), the Health Bureau (HHB) reiterated that the CDCC Scheme targets citizens aged 45 or above who are not aware of having hypertension, diabetes mellitus or related symptoms. By providing subsidy to cover part of the costs as an incentive, the Government aims to encourage citizens to receive early screening in order to get better understanding of their own health status, so as to achieve the objectives of preventing diseases before occurrence, and managing diseases at an early stage.

     The HHB is concerned about the media report that an elderly person who was hospitalised twice for high blood pressure but had not continued her medical treatment and follow-up consultation at a General Out-patient Clinic (GOPC). As the patient already had a medical history of hypertension and had received appropriate treatment during her two stays in hospitals, she would not be a target participant of the screening service provided under the CDCC Scheme. The media concerned did not consult the HHB about this case beforehand. By the sketchy information provided in the report, the HHB is unable to verify the information and extend assistance to this particular elderly person so that she can receive proper medical follow-up as early as possible. The media report may be misleading and may give rise to public misunderstanding about chronic disease treatment and the CDCC Scheme.

     The CDCC Scheme is the first significant project launched under the Primary Healthcare Blueprint, with a view to preventing worsening of chronic disease and occurrence of complication through early identification and early treatment. It concerns the wellbeing of the general public and the sustainability of the healthcare system. The HHB strives to explain the CDCC Scheme to stakeholders and members of the public, and listen to the views of all parties. At the same time, the Government expects that the media would actively disseminate correct messages and reflect views accurately by adhering to the principles of meticulousness, accuracy and impartiality when reporting on subjects of close relevance to the health of the members of the public.

     All Hong Kong residents aged 45 or above can join the CDCC Scheme. To encourage citizens to take up primary responsibility for managing their own health, the CDCC Scheme adopts a Government-participant co-payment model. Apart from the Government's subsidies, participating citizens are also required to bear partial costs as a way to shoulder the responsibility for their own health. The tentative levels of the Government's subsidies and participants' co-payments are stated at Annex.

     The HHB reiterated that the public healthcare system would continue to be the basic safety net for grassroots, in particular the socially disadvantaged groups. Persons with financial difficulties (including recipients of Comprehensive Social Security Assistance and Old Age Living Allowance) will continue to enjoy the protection of the safety net under the public healthcare system comprising services provided by parties such as the Hospital Authority (HA) and the Department of Health. The introduction of the CDCC Scheme will not affect the appropriate healthcare services provided for the grassroots citizens under the public healthcare system.

     Enhancing primary healthcare services will help alleviate the pressure on the secondary and tertiary healthcare services in the long run. In fact, a crucial factor leading to the growing pressure on public healthcare services is the imbalance between primary healthcare services and the secondary and tertiary healthcare services. Cross-specialties collaboration and public-private partnership have yet to attain their desired level of efficiency while quite a number of non-urgent cases of relative stable condition have not been effectively triaged back to primary healthcare or family doctors for more efficient, suitable and effective follow-up.

     While introducing the CDCC Scheme, the Government will gradually reposition the service of HA's GOPCs with a view to optimising the use of public resources. According to the recommendations set out in the Primary Healthcare Blueprint, the HA's GOPCs should prioritise to serve the socially disadvantaged groups, in particular low-income families and poor elderly. Through the CDCC Scheme, citizens with better financial capability can be triaged to family doctors in the private healthcare sector for health management, thereby alleviating the pressure on the public healthcare system and sparing its capacity to better serve citizens with financial needs. This will include exploring the inclusion of appropriate chronic disease screening and management services to the priority groups of socially disadvantaged groups in accordance with the clinical protocol and pathway of the CDCC Scheme after the repositioning of GOPC service.

Attention duty announcers, radio and TV stations:

Please broadcast the following as soon as possible and repeat it at suitable intervals:

     The Marine Department has received notification from the Hong Kong Pilots Association Limited that the pilotage service will partially resume from 4am tomorrow (July 18), and will fully resume when weather conditions improve. Shipowners, agents, masters and other port users are advised to pay attention.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
     
     The spokesman for Queen Mary Hospital (QMH) made the following announcement today (July 17) regarding two hospital facilities incidents related to the impact of typhoon:
      
     At around 9.30am today, while the Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 8 was in force, an about 60 centimeters long air diffuser at ceiling of a lift at the hospital Main Block was found loosened. It was suspected to be caused by the effect of strong winds on the air pressure in the lift shaft. There was no passenger in the lift when the incident happened. QMH immediately suspended the use of the lift concerned and inspected another lift of the same model in the hospital. The maintenance work of the lift concerned has been completed and has resumed operation.
      
     Besides, at around 2pm today, due to strong winds, eight pieces of false ceiling panels were detached and the glass of the fire door cracked at the ground floor corridor of the hospital Main Block.
      
     QMH is very concerned about the incidents and immediately cordoned off the area. Inspection by engineering personnel had been arranged. The hospital immediately removed the false ceiling panels concerned and will replace the fire doors as soon as possible.
      
     QMH will further carry out inspections and ensure the safety of its facilities. The hospital has reported the incidents to the Hospital Authority Head Office via the Advance Incident Reporting System.

     The Immigration Department announced that due to the Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 8, services at the Registration of Persons (ROP) Offices – Hong Kong Office, Kowloon Office, Kwun Tong Office and Tuen Mun Office during general ROP service hours today (July 17), i.e. from 8am to 4.30pm were suspended; and ROP Offices – Yuen Long Office and Fo Tan Office were closed for the whole day. Members of the public who have made an appointment during this period may approach the ROP Offices concerned during general ROP service hours on any subsequent working days for applications without the need to make a new appointment. Applicants should bring along the appointment slip, if available, or quote the telephone appointment reference code for follow-up. It is not necessary to call for seeking confirmation on the above arrangement. However, applicants must approach the relevant ROP Offices during general ROP service hours for processing. Subject to the situation of the day, the waiting time for processing may be longer. To avoid overcrowding, members of the public need not rush to the ROP Offices for service on the next working day after the Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 8 was cancelled.

     Please refer to the Annex for the working hours and scope of services provided at ROP Offices.

The following is issued on behalf of the Legislative Council Secretariat:

     The delegation of the Legislative Council (LegCo) led by the President of LegCo, Mr Andrew Leung, continued its study visit in Fujian Province and visited Xiamen today (July 17).

     The delegation departed from Fuzhou to Xiamen in the morning and visited Xiamen Bio Bay in Haicang District upon arrival. Members were briefed by relevant representatives on the latest development of the biomedical industry in Haicang District, and how they provide professional services to enterprises in the area of product research and development, production, and intellectual property protection, with a view to establishing a comprehensive biomedical industry chain.

     The delegation also visited Double Medical Technology Inc. in the Bio Bay to understand the company's achievements in the research and development of advanced medical equipment.

     The delegation had a working exchange with the Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the Xiamen Municipal Government in the evening.

     The delegation will continue its study visit at Xiamen tomorrow (July 18).