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Brits help Shanghai hospitals save money
(China Daily)
Updated: 2004-06-08 22:43 Shanghai municipal authorities and the British
Government Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding for restructuring some
Shanghai-based public hospitals with private funds.
According to the memorandum, the British Government will collaborate with
Shanghai in health care reforms in publicly run hospitals.
In the process,Shanghai-based Bright TCM Hospital, will be restructured and
operated as a planned PPP (private public partnership) model.
The PPP model will allow absorption of public funds, or funds from
individuals, in a hospital. The effort is expected to lay out a model
collaboration platform for medical services for China and Britain to follow.
The Britain-based Royal Brompton Hospital plans to collaborate with Shanghai
International Medical Zone to establish a joint-venture heart and lung specialty
hospital in Shanghai.
The investment in the joint venture will come in two phases, 400 million yuan
(US$48 million) for each. Sources of the funds will mostly come from British
private health care and financial organizations and Chinese individuals.
There are 500 public hospitals in Shanghai. As direct investments in public
hospitals decrease, Shanghai is exploring sources of funds through reforms and
new management endeavours.
Such co-operation covers promotion of health service quality, improvements of
hospital facilities and community health care.
A British government delegation was in Shanghai for the signing.
Co-operation efforts will also focus on health care reform, general practice
education, and herbal medicine.
Lord Warner, parliamentary under secretary of state for health in Britain,
and Yang Xiaodu, vice-mayor of Shanghai, signed the memorandum.
"We are extremely excited to be working with Shanghai in these areas and
there is no end for us to better the life of people," said Warner.
"We know that as the Chinese economy achieves great success, more money
should be spent on health services. We face the same problem. But we are looking
for good value for our money," he said.
The delegation expressed their appreciation for Shanghai's achievements in
health care after visiting Shanghai Ruijin Hospital and community health service
facilities.
A good health service system depends upon a strong partnership between the
private sector and the government, said Yang Xiaodu.
The memorandum also involves the foundation of Sino-British General Practice
Training Centre, where officials will help Shanghai establish a qualified
general practice team.
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