18. During the year an Ophthalmic Specialist joined the Department, and 2 medical officers were transferred here from other colonies.
14. A large number of expatriate and locally recruited murses left the service and the loss of the latter in particular was regarded as a most serious matter.
15. Of 39 nurses graduating in 1951 and 1952, 28 imme- diately resigned from the Service on completing their training. In 1953 twenty-eight graduated and eleven resigned and it is clear that unless this wastage can be prevented it is going to be very difficult to provide the leavening of trained nurses which will be esential for staffing the proposed new Kowloon Hospital or to staff other departmental institutions which have been planned. To remedy this a revision of nurses' salaries has been recommended the effect of which will be to give a substantial increase in emoluments immediately a nurse qualifies. During the year eight local nurses were promoted to the nursing sister grade and there are now in the Department eighteen local nursing sisters and six local senior nursing sisters. For some years to come, at least, any nurse who remains in the Government service will have a very reasonable prospect of early promotion to nursing sister and it is hoped that this will, in itself, counter to some extent the present wastage.
16. In October, a Salaries Commission was set up to review the salaries of Government servants and proposals relating to the nursing service have been submitted to the Commission providing for special salary scales for public health nurses and those engaged in the mental hospital. Should they be accepted these proposals should reduce the difficulties experienced in the past in attracting nurses from the hospital service into public health and mental nursing, both of which service need to be developed.
17. It has been difficult to recruit physiotherapists from the United Kingdom during this year, and it is possible that conditions of service in Hong Kong may not be acceptable to the Chartered Society, but this question is under consideration at present and it is hoped that a satisfactory solution will soon be found.
18. The following local staff were sent to the United Kingdom for courges of study:
1. Dr. Ho Hung Chip, Senior
Radiologist,
2. Dr. P. H. Teng, Senior Fort
Health Officer.
3. Dr. T. M. Tech, Medical
Обсет.
4. Dr. Lee Koo Tai, Assistant Dental Surgeon.
5. Miss Alice Chun, Nursing
Sister.
6. Miss Phyllia Wong, Nursing
Sister.
7. Mies Agnes Leigh Simon.
Nursing Sister.
8. Mr. Sham Hay, Laboratory
Assistant.
Expenditure on Medical Services.
Course
Diploma of Medical Roentgen
Therapy.
Diploma in Public Health.
Forensic Medicine.
Oral Surgery.
Midwifery Tutor.
Paediatric Nursing.
Associate of the Institute of
Medical Laboratory Technology.
19. The Medical Department's estimated expenditure for the financial year ending 31st March, 1054 was $23,860,262.00, but to obtain the true figure of Government expenditure on medical services to this should be added a further $6,580,100.00, payable to voluntary organizations in the Colony which provide hospital and public health services. These include the Anti- Tuberculosis Association, the Mission to Lepers Hong Kong Auxiliary and the Tong Wah Group of Hospitals which receives the main subvention of about $4,000,000 and in its three institu- Lions provides 1,219 beds. Combined expenditure on account of the Medical Department and medical subventions is approxi- mately 9% of the Colony's total budget of expenditure.
Legislation.
20. The more important legislation concerning public health enacted or projected during 1953 is as follows:-
des
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