2
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 30, 1976
STAFF SITUATION IN KWONG WAH HOSPITAL BACK TO NORMAL
*****
THE STAFF SITUATION IN KWONG WAH HOSPITAL CAUSED BY THE DEPARTURE IN MARCH OF A NUMBER OF DOCTORS FROM THE MEDICAL UNIT WILL RETURN TO NORMAL FROM TOMORROW (JULY 1).
THE HOSPITAL, THE LARGEST GOVERNMENT SUBVENTED HOSPITAL IN HONG KONG, HAS NOW RECRUITED SUFFICIENT DOCTORS TO MAN ITS 420-BED MEDICAL WARD AND MAINTAIN A 24-HOUR CASUALTY SERVICE WITHOUT HAVING TO RELY ON REINFORCEMENT FROM THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
AS A RESULT, THE TEMPORARY MEASURES ADOPTED DURING THE PAST FOUR MONTHS BY THE DEPARTMENT TO HELP SOLVE THE HOSPITAL'S STAFF PROBLEM WOULD NO LONGER BE IN FORCE.
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT RECALLED THAT IN EARLY MARCH THE DEPARTMENT TOOK OVER 120 BEDS FROM KWONG WAH AND USED THESE BEDS FOR CASES TRANSFERRED FROM THE MEDICAL UNITS OF QUEEN
THE MEDICAL UNITS OF ELIZABETH HOSPITAL. BECAUSE OF THIS ARRANGEMENT QUEEN ELIZABETH HOSPITAL HAD BEEN AUGMENTED BY THREE MEDICAL OFFICERS.
IN ADDITION, MEDICAL EMERGENCY CASES WERE DIVERTED FROM KWONG WAH TO QUEEN ELIZABETH HOSPITAL BETWEEN 9 A.M. AND 10 P.M. BECAUSE THE THEN DEPLETED STAFF AT KWONG WAH COULD NOT DEAL WITH A 24-HOUR CASUALTY SERVICE.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID +THESE ARRANGEMENTS HAVE ENABLED KWONG WAH HOSPITAL TO RECRUIT STAFF TO FILL THE VACANCIES WHILE AT THE SAME TIME MAINTAIN SERVICES IN THE MEDICAL UNIT.+
HE STRESSED THAT THE PROBLEM AT KWONG WAH HAD BEEN CONF I NED TO THE MEDICAL UNIT ONLY, AND SERVICES IN OTHER UNITS WERE NOT AFFECTED.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE STAFF SITUATION WITHIN GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS HAS ALSO SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED WITH THE RECENT COMPLETION OF INTERNSHIP BY 118 HOUSEMEN.
HE SAID 104 OF THEM HAD APPLIED TO BE MEDICAL OFFICERS WITH THE DEPARTMENT, AND 98 OF THEM HAD BEEN ACCEPTED.
HE POINTED OUT THAT THERE WERE AT PRESENT SOME 110 VACANCIES AT THE MEDICAL OFFICER LEVEL, AND THAT WITH THE 98 NEW RECRUITS JOINING THE DEPARTMENT, MOST OF THE VACANCIES WILL BE FILLED.
13