Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
SWD and ICAC announce investigation into suspected fraudulent act seeking to obtain subsidies from Community Care Service Voucher Scheme for the Elderly
Launched as a pilot programme in September 2013 and regularised in 2023, the Scheme provides needy elderly persons with more options in community care services so that they can enjoy their lives in familiar environments. Adopting the “money-following-the-user” concept, the Scheme not only allows elderly users to purchase suitable community care services from RSPs for meeting their needs, but also allows them to switch RSPs in a flexible manner. The services include nursing care, rehabilitation services, carer training, home safety assessments and home modification recommendations, meal delivery and escort services, etc.
The SWD received a report last year that an RSP was suspected of making use of the Scheme to deceive Government subsidies by submitting false service records to the SWD and encouraging families or carers of the elderly persons to make fraudulent claims on their service uses. While making an immediate referral to the ICAC, the SWD also provided the ICAC with relevant information to assist their investigation.
The SWD stressed that it will continue to perform its monitoring role and take follow-up actions on all suspected cases seriously. Unannounced service-monitoring visits, sampling checks as well as reviews on records and documents are conducted to ensure that RSPs have been providing services to the voucher holders according to the SWD’s service requirements.
The SWD will require RSPs to make improvements on their services or sanctions will be imposed on them if there are any irregularities. Should any RSPs fail to provide services or make improvements in accordance with the relevant requirements, the SWD will consider suspension or termination of the service agreements with the RSPs.Issued at HKT 16:45
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