The Chief Executive delivered the 2024 Policy Address on 16 October, themed "Reform for Enhancing Development and Building Our Future Together". The address covered a wide range of areas, including childcare, youth development, elderly care, poverty alleviation, housing, inclusion, and carer support, demonstrating the Chief Executive's determination and commitment to economic development and improving the well-being of the public.
The Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui Welfare Council (the Welfare Council) supports the reform direction and related measures outlined in the Policy Address and will align its services with the Government's policy direction. The Welfare Council would like to provide the following responses regarding social welfare matters:
Supporting the Development of Primary Healthcare
The Welfare Council strongly supports the Government's comprehensive review of the healthcare system, particularly the repositioning and redefinition of the roles and responsibilities of the Hospital Authority, Department of Health, and Primary Healthcare Commission. We believe this will be conducive to the development of primary healthcare in Hong Kong and promote health and disease prevention. We are grateful that the Chief Executive visited our Wong Tai Sin District Health Centre (DHC) and the PHARM+ Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui Community Pharmacy(Community Pharmacy), initiated and funded by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, before delivering the Policy Address. This visit provided him with valuable insights into the importance of close collaboration between the two in developing primary healthcare. The Community Pharmacy provides personalised free medication consultations, medication assessments, and minor ailment consultations etc. Community pharmacists offer health advice and appropriate referrals as needed, effectively helping the public access reliable and affordable primary healthcare drugs. This contributes to raising public awareness of medication management and promoting safe medication practices.
District Health Centres and Community Pharmacies: Key Hubs for Primary Healthcare
The Welfare Council supports the Policy Address's proposal to expand the "Chronic Disease Co-Care Pilot Scheme" to include lipid checks in addition to the existing blood pressure and blood glucose assessments. This demonstrates the effectiveness of DHCs in chronic disease management. Furthermore, we support integrating Woman Health Centres and Elderly Health Centres into DHCs and suggest incorporating the Whole School Health Programme into DHCs. Coupled with close collaboration with Community Pharmacies, this will help establish DHCs as key hubs for primary healthcare development. We believe that a primary healthcare system centred around DHCs will effectively improve public health and disease prevention awareness, making Hong Kong a vibrant and healthy city and a valuable reference for other regions implementing primary healthcare.
Supporting the Development of Chinese Medicine
The Welfare Council applauds the imminent completion of Hong Kong's first Chinese Medicine Hospital and the expansion of integrated Chinese-Western medicine services to cover respiratory diseases, knee osteoarthritis, and cancer care programme. We hope that the Government will provide Chinese medicine outreach services to elderly care homes and rehabilitation centresafter the Chinese Medicine Hospital commences operation, facilitating access to appropriate Chinese medicine services for the elderly and people with disabilities.
Supporting the Introduction of “Basic Housing Units”Regulations and Strengthen Supervision
The Welfare Council welcomes the Government's decision to address the issue of subdivided flats through legislation. We hope that the introduction of a tenancy control and registration system for "Basic Housing Units" will improve the living environment and ensure the safety of inadequately housed household. Regarding the current supply of Light Public Housing and Transitional Housing, we suggest that the Government flexibly adjust the eligibility criteria (the ratio of Category A and Category B applicants) to meet diverse housing needs and utilise housing resources more effectively.
Welcoming the Extension of the “Pilot Programme on Community Living Room”
The Welfare Council welcomes the extension of the "Pilot Programme on Community Living Room" (CLR) and suggests extending them to other communities with a high concentration of subdivided flats in the long run. We also hope that the number of CLR will be determined by the distribution of subdivided flats, ensuring they are within a 15-minute walk of residents for improvedaccessibility. In the Hung Hom CLR operated by the Welfare Council, we will also align with the policy direction by connecting members with DHCs and addressing their mental health needs.
Recommending “Child Mental Health Vouchers”
The Welfare Council supports the Government's efforts to strengthen collaboration between medical, educational, and social services to promote mental well-being. This includes formulating a stepped care model for mental health, raising public awareness of mental health, and establishing a "Transitional Support Service Teams for Persons in Mental Recovery". We agree on the importance of preventative measures, particularly for children. We suggest exploring collaboration with private psychiatrists to offer more affordable fees or subsidies and issuing "Child Mental Health Vouchers" to eligible children suspected of having mental health issues to encourage and expedite their access to treatment.
Supporting Enhanced Youth Development
The Welfare Council welcomes the Government’s initiatives to establish a "Youth Post" hostel at the Kai Tak Community Isolation Facility and enhance youth career planning, recognising the significance of youth development. We believe that quality services should be the primary consideration in youth work, as young people need dedicated time and guidance to achieve positive life transformations, which is the ultimate goal of youth development.
Supporting Enhanced Interpretation and Translation Services for Ethnic Minorities
The Welfare Council welcomes the Government's plan to increase the number of support service centres for ethnic minorities, providing interpretation and translation services. We also suggest that the Government enhance support for the employment needs of overseas professionals and highly educated individuals from ethnic minority backgrounds, assisting them in findingsuitable jobs to fully utilise their potential. Furthermore, considering the difficulties faced by elderly ethnic minorities in accessing services due to language and cultural barriers, we suggest establishing integrated service centres for elderly ethnic minorities in Yau TsimMong and Yuen Long, where ethnic minorities are concentrated.
Supporting Further Development of Carer Support Services
Providing adequate support for carers is crucial. The Welfare Council welcomes the Government's plan to extend the "Pilot Scheme on Supporting Elderly and Carers" to all 18 districts and establish a cross-professional, cross-organisational carer database, alongwith tools for early identification of high-risk cases. We also suggest that the Government enhance respite services and provide flexible funding to allow carers to choose services that meet their needs, reducing their burden and improving their quality of life.
Supporting Enhanced Labour Training and UtilisingVacant School Premises
The Welfare Council supports the reformation of the Employees Retraining Board, removing the academic qualification cap, increasing the number of training places, and strengthening collaboration with tertiary institutions and leading enterprises. We also suggest increasing retraining resources for middle-aged and elderly individuals, enabling them to continue contributing to society. Regarding the Government's plan to use vacant school premises as training bases, we suggest opening applications to non-governmental organisations beyond trade unions, including the Welfare Council, given our extensive training experience, particularly in the care service sector This will provide service users with more choices and stimulate the labourmarket.
Supporting the Promotion of National Security
The Welfare Council supports the Government's efforts to promote national security education in the community. Over the next year, we will organise approximately 10,000 members from our service units to visit theNational Security Exhibition Gallery at the Hong Kong Museum of History through the "National Security Supported by Thousands of Members" campaign to enhance their national identity and awareness of national security.
Conclusion
This year’s Policy Address demonstrates the Chief Executive’s remarkable vision, encompassing not only the driving of reform and economic development but also a prioritization of public well-being and the creating of a brighter future for Hong Kong. The proposed initiatives demonstrate the government’s commitment to a holistic approach to social and livelihood policies, catering to the needs of all ages. This injects new impetus into the operation and future development of social welfare organisations. The Welfare Council will closely monitor and adapt to policy developments, provide timely feedback, and collaborate with all sectors to build a better and more harmonious Hong Kong.