76. At 31st December, 1972, Government had a total of 3,894 nurses of all types. Some of these nurses are students or pupils undergoing training and as such are away from the wards for a proportion of the time for lectures, etc. An Organization and Methods report (OSU 11/32/03/5) indicates that 19.25 per cent of their time is spent in this way. This figure corresponds to the tutors' estimates of 32 weeks in three years (20.5 per cent). Thus student and pupil figures should be reduced by 19.25 per cent to give equivalent figures. The position therefore is as follows:
General
Trained nurses
Student nurses
Category
Actual Numbers
Equivalent Numbers
2,050
726
2,050 586
Midwives ...
242
242
Student midwives
78
78
Nursing auxiliaries
186
186
Pupil nursing auxiliaries
147
119
Health visitors
101
101
Total General
3,530
3,362
Psychiatric
Trained nurses
Student nurses
Nursing auxiliaries
Pupil nursing auxiliaries
Total Psychiatric
Total
218
218
91
74
34
34
21
17
364
343
3,894
3,705
77. The future supply of general nurses is limited by the capacity of the training facilities, and perhaps by the number of suitable candidates who will be applying to take the three-year course. Following expansion of intakes at the present two schools in May 1973, there will be 420 places per year, i.e. three maximum intakes of 70 each at both schools. It was noticed at the May 1973 recruitment that only 130 candidates could be accepted to fill 140 places.
34
.:.
78. There are insufficient suitable applicants to fill available training capacity for nursing auxiliaries or psychiatric nurses.
(a) General nursing auxiliaries are trained at Kowloon Hospital where the capacity for the two-year course is 180 per year in three batches of 60. In practice only about half of the places are filled, i.e., 90 per year.
(b) Psychiatric nurses are currently trained at Castle Peak Hospital where the capacity is 50 per year in two intakes of 25 for a three-year course. In February 1975 with the opening of a school at the second mental hospital the capacity will increase to 120 per year. On past experience about 75 per cent of places are likely to be taken up.
(c) Psychiatric nursing auxiliaries are also trained at Castle Peak Hospital where the total capacity is 90 per year. After February 1975 the capacity will increase to 105. The course lasts two years. On past experience the intake is likely to be only 55 per cent. 79. Wastage rates have been increasing in recent years. For the future the rates as assumed to be as follows:
(a) General
(i) Trained nurses, including midwives and health visitors,
6% p.a. The actual historic rates were
1970-71
1971-72
5%
6.8%
(ii) Student nurses, 5% p.a. Historically the rates have been
1970-71 1971-72
(iii) Nursing auxiliary wastage is about 2% p.a.
5.4%
5.1%
(iv) Pupil nursing auxiliary wastage in the first year is about
22.4% and in the second year 4.6%.
(b) Psychiatric
(i) Trained nurses, 5% p.a. Historically the rates were
1970-71 1971-72
2%
4%
(ii) Student nurses, 11% p.a. Historically the rates have been
1970-71 1971-72
11%%%
...
(iii) Nursing auxiliary wastage is about 8% p.a., the experience
so far being a loss of 13 out of 45 in 4 years.
35