WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 1974.
MISS LAMB HAD RECOMMENDED THAT QUALIFIED CLINICAL INSTRUCTORS BE PROVIDED TO IMPROVE THE PRACTICAL SIDE OF TRAINING. SHE HAD ALSO FELT THAT THE EXISTING RATIO OF ONE TUTOR TO 70 STUDENT NURSES SHOULD BE REDUCED TO AT LEAST ONE TO 30.
+ RECOGNISE THAT THE RATIO IS UNSATISFACTORY,+ DR. CHOA EXPLAINED, AND IT IS PROPOSED TO TRAIN TUTORS LOCALLY, AND ALSO TO PREPARE TRAINED CLINICAL INSTRUCTORS, BUT THESE AIMS CANNOT BE ACHIEVED IMMEDIATELY.+
HE COMMENTED ON MISS LAMB'S REMARKS ON THE NEED FOR BETTER COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN THE TEACHING STAFF. THE SENIOR NURSING STAFF, HOSPITAL ADMINISTRATORS AND STUDENTS, AND HE HOPED SHORTLY TO SEE THE INTRODUCTION OF IN-SERVICE COURSES +WITH THE OBJECT OF FOSTERING BETTER RELATIONSHIPS AND UNDERSTANDING.+
MISS LAMB HAD ALSO RECOMMENDED THAT PROMOTION IN THE NURSING SERVICE SHOULD NOT BE BASED MAINLY ON SENIORITY, IN POINT OF FACT,+ DR. CHOA SAID, IT IS NOT.+
PROMOTION FOLLOWED THE GENERAL CIVIL SERVICE PRINCIPLE OF CONSIDERING OFFICERS IN THEIR ORDER OF SENIORITY, BUT THE ACTUAL SUBSTANTIVE PROMOTION WAS BASED ON MERIT AS WELL AS SENIORITY,
MISS LAMB'S OTHER SUGGESTIONS, SUCH AS THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A FIRMER BASE FOR THE USE OF ENGLISH IN TRAINING, THE AMENDMENT AND RE-ARRANGEMENT OF THE TRAINING COURSE, AND IMPROVEMENT OF FACILITIES FOR STUDY AND RECREATION, WOULD RECEIVE CAREFUL ATTENTION.
DR. CHOA ALSO MADE REFERENCES TO CHANGES IN THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE GOVERNMENT'S MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES TO MEET CHANGES IN GENERAL TRENDS.
THERE WOULD, FOR EXAMPLE, BE NO LONGER ONLY TWO SEPARATE DIVISIONS FOR MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES IN THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE DEPARTMENT, INSTEAD OF THEM, THERE WOULD BE SET UP VARIOUS FUNCTIONAL DIVISIONS EACH WITH A SPECIFIC SERVICE TO PERFORM.
A PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DIVISION WOULD HAVE RESPONSIBILITY FOR IMPLEMENTING ALL THE PROPOSALS AND RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE WHITE PAPER ON THE TEN-YEAR PLAN. THIS DIVISION WOULD ALSO CARRY OUT FURTHER RESEARCH INTO THE REQUIREMENTS OF GERIATRIC AND PSYCHIATRIC BEDS, AND THE REDISTRIBUTION OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES AND TUBERCULOSIS BEDS.
A NARCOTICS AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION DIVISION HAD ALREADY BEEN SET UP, AND THE TRAINING DIVISION WOULD CONTINUE.
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