Private sector will be invited to run new elderly care centres for middle class
‘Publicly built, privately run’ model will provide more diverse, higher-quality services and allow operators to meet wider range of needs, official says
Hong Kong authorities plan to lease out government-built day care facilities for the elderly to the private sector under a pilot programme aimed at providing more diverse services targeting older middle-class residents.
Under the plan, the government will invite non-governmental organisation and private operators to submit proposals for self-financed services at newly built day care centres for the elderly.
Undersecretary for Labour and Welfare Ho Kai-ming told the panel on welfare services that most day care centres were currently contracted to operators using lump sum grants and they provided similar services under the tendering terms.
“The aim is to see if new services can be developed by piloting this new model in communities at different levels,” Ho said.
“Hong Kong society is becoming more diverse, and the elderly from the middle class and above also have their own needs for care services.”