12
13
Hedical Social Work
The rapid expansion of the medical and health services and the increasing emphasis on rehabilitation continued to make heavy demands on the medical social service. The Principal Medical Social Worker was in overall charge of the five divisions of the service with a total staff of 101.
Physiotherapy
The demand for physiotherapy service continued to increase. In 1976, 87, 320 patients were given a total of 847,849 treatments, an increase of approximately 10% in terms of patients and 11% in terms of number of treatments.
Occupational Therapy
There were altogether 10 units in the service which covered both in-patients and out-patients. In 1976, 12,464 patients were given a total of 681,294 treatments.
Prosthetic-Orthotica
Damand for the prosthetic and orthotic service continued to rise. In 1976, 7,841 patients were treated, an increase of 15% over the previous year.
Narcotics and Drugs
The Narcotic and Drug Administration is responsible for undertaking various activities in the treatment and rehabilitation of drug addicts, research and health education in the danger of drug addiction.
Pour methadone maintenance centres and 16 methadone detoxification centres for out-patients were in operation to cater for the demand for treatment facilities.
Medical Staff
IX.
TRAINING PROGRAMMES
(Tables 78-80)
Higher professional examinations were held in Hong Kong in 1976 by the Royal Colleges of Physicians, Surgeons, Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and the Faculty of Anasthetiste, Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.
Nine government doctors were enabled by various financial schemes, besides full pay study leave, to acquire higher qualifications in their respective fields overseas during the year 1976.
Dental Staff
In the year, four scholarships were granted to local scholars to study dentistry at the Universities of Sydney, Queensland and Singapore and one graduate returned to Hong Kong. So far 78 scholars out of the 107 scholarships awarded in the past years have completed their professional training and returned.
Nursing Staff
There were 796 general and 116 psychiatric student nurses undergoing a three-year course in the three respective government hospital schools of nursing. In the two year courses, leading to enrolment, there were 185 general and 75 psychiatric pupil nurses.
There were 13 student midwives taking the two-year midwifery course at Tean Tuk Hospital. In addition there were 86 registered nurses undergoing the one-year post-basic training in midwifery, leading to registration with the Hidwives Board of Hong Kong.
19 registered nurses commenced a 9-month course in public health nursing and 11 enrolled nurses were undergoing a 6-month courge in basic health procedures.