The Primary Healthcare Blueprint Symposium organised by the Health Bureau was held today, where nearly 300 participants had high-level discussions on the path forward for primary healthcare in Hong Kong.

With the theme of "Reform On The Road", the symposium was attended by members of the Executive Council and Legislative Council as well as representatives of healthcare professional bodies, academia, government departments, non-governmental organisations and patient groups.

Addressing the event, Secretary for Health Prof Lo Chung-mau said the symposium signified the Government's commitment to take forward the important initiatives of the Primary Healthcare Blueprint through sharing of valuable experiences and views with private and public sectors on the advancement of primary healthcare service delivery.

The Government is grateful to mark this very important milestone with the vast contribution from former healthcare leaders and its recent partners, he added.

The symposium served as a platform for healthcare professionals and academics to share insights on the five key areas of the recommendations put forward in the blueprint, including developing a community-based primary healthcare system, strengthening primary healthcare governance, consolidating primary healthcare resources, reinforcing primary healthcare manpower, and improving data connectivity and healthcare surveillance.

More than 200 medical professionals who are listed in the Primary Health Directory also joined the event via video conferencing.

Meanwhile, Under Secretary for Health Dr Libby Lee briefed the participants on how a district-based community health system can shape the development of primary healthcare.

She noted that the district-based family centric service model will integrate and co-ordinate primary healthcare services through new governance structure, strategic purchasing and medical-social collaboration.

Commissioner for Primary Healthcare Dr Pang Fei-chau also called for closer collaboration from the community towards a broader implementation of the blueprint to fuel outcome-based primary healthcare development.