政壇：睇社論學英文：醫局改朝換代 最怕新瓶舊酒

醫局改朝換代 最怕新瓶舊酒

新官上任三把火，剛獲港府委任為醫管局主席的梁智仁，尚未正式上任，先為痼疾纏身的醫管局診症。他認為在為市民提供世界級醫療服務，培訓年輕醫生達到世界級水平，以及臨床及創新研究等三方面，醫管局有不足之處。

梁智仁是知名醫學教授，並且從事公職多年，擁有豐富公共行政經驗，今次以行內人身份空降醫管局，不留情面指出缺失，絕對不是無的放矢。眾所周知，成立二十多年的醫管局千瘡百孔，其中最為人詬病的就是聯網制度，儼如諸侯割據，各擁山頭，導致各個聯網服務水平良莠不齊，病人能否獲得較佳服務，竟然由居住地區決定，是名副其實的醫療貧富懸殊。最不可思議的是，各個聯網為了爭取資源，不惜各出奇謀，甚至弄虛作假，早前東華醫院附設的理遺診所被揭發篤數醜聞，以職員充病人，誇大服務需求，避免資源被削減，可見聯網制度已變成既得利益者的保護網。

「誰不改革誰下台」，這句鄧小平的名言完全適用於醫管局。醫管局難得改朝換代，新主席能不能擺平既得利益者的阻撓，革新醫管局，提升公共醫療服務水平，既是一個疑問，也是一個期待。

Although the HA has a chairman change,

it is feared that it may just be old wine in a new bottle

A new broom sweeps clean. Before officially starting his job, Professor John Leong Chi-yan, the new Hospital Authority (HA) chairman just appointed by the Hong Kong Government, has made his diagnosis of the sickness-ridden HA. He thinks that the HA is inadequate in the provision of world-class healthcare service to the public, in the training of young doctors so that they can reach top international standards, and in doing clinical and innovative researches.

John Leong, a famous medical professor who has been in public office for many years, is equipped with rich public administration experience. As an expert parachuted into the HA, he was not firing blindly when he pointed out HA’s deficiencies. As is known to all, the 20-plus-year-old HA is afflicted with all ills. The most castigated issue is the cluster system, which is almost like the ancient feudalism wherein the feudal princes all set up their own independent regimes. The service quality of each cluster is so different that whether a patient receives good or bad service depends entirely on where he lives. It is genuinely a healthcare “wealth gap”. What is most inconceivable is that the clusters would come up with all sorts of plots and even frauds in order to garner resources. Earlier on, the Continence Clinic under Tung Wah Hospital was exposed to have rigged the number of patients. To exaggerate the public’s demand for its service, staff members were counted as patients so as to avoid the cutting of funding. It is evident that the cluster system has become a shield for the people with vested interests.

“Whoever does not reform will have to step down.” This well-known saying by Deng Xiao-ping is totally applicable to the HA. A change of chairmanship is an opportune moment for the HA. Can the new chairman overcome the obstacles imposed by those with vested interests? Can he reform the HA and raise the level of Hong Kong’s public healthcare service? These are both queries and expectations.

重要生字

old wine in a new bottle：新瓶舊酒

a new broom sweeps clean：新官上任三把火

afflicted with all ills：千瘡百孔