WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1980
21
GOVERNMENT ENCOURAGES MEDICAL OFFICERS
TO OBTAIN QUALIFICATIONS ON MEDICAL ADMINISTRATION
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GOVERNMENT MEDICAL OFFICERS WHO WISH TO PURSUE A CAREER IN PUBLIC HEALTH ADMINISTRATION AND COMMUNITY MEDICINE ARE ENCOURAGED TO TAKE ONE OF THE POST-GRADUATE MEDICAL QUALIFICATIONS WHICH COVER MEDICAL ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT, THE SECRETARY FOR CIVIL SERVICE, THE HON MARTIN ROWLANDS SAID TODAY.
REPLYING TO A QUESTION FROM DR THE HON HARRY FANG, MR ROWLANDS SAID SUCH QUAL IF ICATIONS, FOR EXAMPLE THE DIPLOMA IN PUBLIC HEALTH OR THE MASTER OF SCIENCE IN PUBLIC HEALTH ALREADY ATTRACTED INCREMENTAL CREDIT.
HE ALSO UNDERSTOOD THAT THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES WAS CONSIDERING RECOGNITION OF OTHER SIMILAR QUALIFICATIONS.
REGARDING THOSE WHO WISH TO PURSUE THEIR CAREERS IN THE CLINICAL STREAM, MR ROWLANDS SAID THE PRESENT VIEW WAS THAT A FORMAL QUAL IF ICATION IN MANAGEMENT WAS NOT A PRE-REQUISITE FOR ADVANCEMENT.
HOWEVER, THEY WERE STILL ENCOURAGED RECENTLY TO UNDERTAKE SOME GENERAL MANAGEMENT TRAINING ALTHOUGH THESE COURSES DO NOT ATTRACT INCREMENTAL CREDIT IN LINE WITH THE POLICY FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE AS A WHOLE.
+ I FORESEE GREAT DIFFICULTY IN SINGLING OUT MEDICAL OFFICERS FOR SPECIAL TREATMENT IN THIS REGARD, HE ADDED.
EXPANSION OF PSYCHIATRIC FACILITIES
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THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT PLANS TO EXPAND THE PSYCHIATRIC FACILITIES BY PROVIDING OVER 3 000 ADDITIONAL BEDS, INCREASING THE EXISTING DAY CENTRE PLACES AND BUILDING MORE OUT-PATIENTS CLINICS, THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, DR THE HON K.L. THONG SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL THIS AFTERNOON.
DR THONG SAID THE DEPARTMENT WOULD INTRODUCE A NEW FIELD OF PSYCHIATRIC SERVICE, NAMELY, PSYCHIATRIC COMMUNITY NURSING BY THE END OF THIS YEAR AS PART OF ITS REHABILITATION PROGRAMME FOR PSYCHIATRIC PATIENTS.
IN HIS REPLY TO QUESTIONS FROM THE HON ANDREW SO, DR THONG SAID THE ESTIMATED NUMBER OF PSYCHIATRIC CASES REQUIRING TREATMENT, BASED ON ATTENDANCES AT THE PSYCHIATRIC INSTITUTIONS, WAS ABOUT 30 000.
TO PROVIDE PSYCHIATRIC CARE FOR THESE PATIENTS, DR THONG POINTED OUT THAT 1 336 BEDS WOULD BE OPERATIONAL IN THE PRINCESS MARGARET HOSPITAL BY THE END OF THIS YEAR.
HE SAID