6
and subvented hospital staff which must be at least partly
responsible for the unacceptably high wastage rate of
doctors in the subvented sector. I hope too that the new
package will be more flexible than the civil service terms
civil service
and that this will make it more attractive to the doctors.
сар
H.
I share Mr. Cheong-Leen's concern about the
supply of dentists. It is my understanding that up to and
including last year the graduates of the Prince Philip
Dental Hospital were able to get jobs, but there is
concern about the future. The Medical Development
Advisory Committee has set up a Dentists Sub-committee to
look into this matter. The sub-committee consists of
members representing the Dental Faculty of the University
of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Dental Association, the
Medical and Health Department and my Branch, and is
expected to complete its report within the next few
months. I hope that this report will give us a clearer
picture of the situation, and enable us to decide what
action needs to be taken.
S.c
12.
I was interested in Mr. Cheong-Leen's suggestion
that more use should be made of the private sector in
meeting the Government's obligation to provide dental
treatment for civil servants and pensioners.
However, in
view of the difficulties which occurred when this idea was
previously tried, I doubt if it is a practicable
proposition..