Press Release / Announcements

Health Care and Promotion Scheme 2018 opens for applications        
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     The Health Care and Promotion Scheme (HCPS) opened for applications today (May 7).    

     The HCPS is under the Health and Medical Research Fund, which is administered by the Food and Health Bureau (FHB).  It supports evidence-based health promotion projects that encourage people to adopt healthier lifestyles by enhancing public health awareness, changing adverse health behaviours and creating an environment that is conducive to supporting good health practices.  

     Innovative proposals addressing specific areas of health promotion listed under the thematic priorities are now invited.  The suggested health promotion work should be based on scientific evidence and evaluated in a systematic way.  Collaboration between tertiary institutions and community organisations is highly encouraged to generate new evidence-based practices which can be applied in the local community. 

     Priority consideration will be given to applications targeting ill-health/underprivileged groups and programmes carried out in community settings in the following thematic areas:

  1. Tobacco control
  2. Lifestyle, nutrition and physical activity
  3. Mental well-being
  4. Injury prevention
  5. Reducing alcohol-related problems
  6. Promoting family doctor model of care
  7. Empowering patients and the community in the management of chronic diseases and strengthening preventive care in children and older adults
  8. Cancer prevention
  9. Breastfeeding
  10. Healthy use of Internet and electronic screen products
  11. Organ donation

     The normal grant ceiling for a proposal is $1.2 million with a usual duration of two years.  Each principal applicant is allowed to submit one application (either a new application or resubmission).  The principal applicant must represent a non-profit-making organisation, a registered community group, a group formed under a registered non-profit-making body, a local tertiary institution or a public hospital.

     Applications will be reviewed by independent experts of the Health Care and Promotion Committee and its Promotion Sub-Committee, comprising healthcare professionals and experts, individuals involved in community affairs and government representatives.

     The assessment criteria include relevance to the thematic priorities, scientific evidence of effectiveness of the proposed health promotion activities, innovation, evaluation plan of programme effectiveness, impact and sustainability of the programme, cross-sector collaboration, potential to build community capacity in health promotion, feasibility, justification of the requested budget, and track record of administering institutions and applicants.

     The closing date of applications is 6pm on July 31, 2018 (Hong Kong time). 

     Guidance notes, explanatory notes, application forms and details on the thematic priorities can be obtained from the website of the FHB’s Research Fund Secretariat at https://rfs.fhb.gov.hk, while enquiries can be faxed to 2102 2444 or e-mailed to rfs@fhb.gov.hk.

Ends/Monday, May 7, 2018