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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 1977
UNOFFICIAL MEMBER EMPHASISES NEED FOR SENIOR APPOINTMENT
TO HEAD UNIT FOR REHABILITATION PLAN
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THE NEW UNIT SET UP IN THE GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT TO IMPLEMENT THE REHABILITATION PLAN FOR THE DISABLED SHOULD ACT AND BE REGARDED AS THE OFFICIAL CHANNEL FOR INFORMATION, ENQUIRIES, COMPLAINTS AND SUGGESTIONS, DR. THE HON. HARRY FANG SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
DR. FANG, WHO HAS BEEN APPOINTED THE FIRST CHAIRMAN OF THE REHABILITATION DEVELOPMENT CO-ORDINATING COMMITTEE, EXPLAINED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING MORE FRUSTRATING FOR A HANDICAPPED PERSON THAN TO BE SHUNTED FROM ONE DEPARTMENT TO ANOTHER.
HE ASKED THE GOVERNMENT TO REVIEW THE NEED FOR APPOINTING A COMMISSIONER TO HEAD THE NEW UNIT, AND HOPED THAT THERE WOULD BE CONTINUITY IN THE POST OF PRINCIPAL ASSISTANT SECRETARY IN THE UNIT, WHICH REQUIRED SOME TIME TO SETTLE IN.
DR. FANG SAW THE MAIN TASK OF HIS COMMITTEE AS +LYING IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROGRAMME PLAN AND IN MONITORING ITS PROGRESS, AND WAS CONFIDENT THAT WITH THE GOVERNMENT'S STRONG SUPPORT, SIGNIFICANT HEADWAY WOULD BE MADE IN THE COMING FIVE YEARS.
HE REMAINED CONCERNED, HOWEVER, OVER THE SHORTAGE OF GOVERNMENT DOCTORS, PARTICULARLY IN OUT-PATIENT CLINICS.
HE ASKED THE GOVERNMENT TO PLACE GREATER EMPHASIS ON GENERAL PRACTICE AND TO CONSIDER PROVIDING A REASONABLE CAREER STRUCTURE AND SALARY FOR THOSE TAKING IT UP AS A SPECIALITY.
INCREASING STATUS IS BEING GIVEN TO GENERAL PRACTICE IN MOST ADVANCED COUNTRIES AND AS A FIRST STEP TOWARDS RECOGNISING ITS IMPORTANCE IN HONG KONG, A COLLEGE OF GENERAL PRACTITIONERS WAS RECENTLY SET UP, HE SAID.
IN EVERY BRANCH OF MEDICINE AS WELL, A MORE CONSISTENT TRAINING PROGRAMME SHOULD BE INTRODUCED TOGETHER WITH IMPROVED PROMOTION PROSPECTS FOR THOSE WHO HAVE OBTAINED HIGHER QUALIFICATIONS, HE ADDED.
ONE POSSIBLE WAY TO RETAIN DOCTORS LONGER IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR, DR. FANG SUGGESTED, MIGHT BE TO EXTEND THEIR INTERNSHIP FROM ONE YEAR TO TWO YEARS.
THIS IS DESIRABLE IN ITSELF HE POINTED OUT, BECAUSE THE INTERNS COULD THEN COVER ALL THREE MAJOR SPECIAL AREAS OF MEDICINE INSTEAD OF TWO DURING THIS PERIOD AND HAVE A FURTHER SIX MONTHS FOR GENERAL PRACTICE.
/HE WOULD