THURSDAY, JANUARY 14, 1982
REORGANISATION IN MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT
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THE HIERARCHY OF THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS BEING REORGANISED IN RECOGNITION OF THE INCREASED LEVEL OF RESPONSIBILITIES FOLLOWING IMPLEMENTATION OF THE REGIONALISATION
SCHEME.
THE REORGANISATION INVOLVES THE CREATION OF A NUMBER OF SENIOR POSTS, INCLUDING FOUR SENIOR ASSISTANT DIRECTORS, ONE NURSING DIRECTOR AND ONE PRINCIPAL HOSPITAL ADMINISTRATOR.
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT SAID TODAY THAT THE REORGANISATION IS THE FINAL PHASE OF THE REGIONALISATION PLAN WHICH BEGAN IN 1977 UNDER WHICH THE ADMINISTRATION OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES WAS DECENTRALISED AND DELEGATED TO THE REGIONAL LEVEL.
ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT CHANGES IN THE RESTRUCTURING OF THE DIRECTORATE GRADE IS THE APPOINTMENT OF A NURSING DIRECTOR WHO, AS HEAD OF OVER 7 000 NURSING PERSONNEL, WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE OPERATION OF THE WHOLE GOVERNMENT NURSING SERVICE.
THE SPOKESMAN POINTED OUT THAT OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS, SOME 2 000 ADDITIONAL NURSING STAFF WILL BE REQUIRED FOR NEW HOSPITALS AND CLINICS AS WELL AS FOR EXISTING SERVICE.
+THE GROWTH IN THE SIZE AND SCOPE OF THE NURSING SERVICE HAS RESULTED NOT ONLY IN INCREASED ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THE HEAD OF THE NURSING SERVICE, BUT ALSO IN MORE COMPLEX STAFF MANAGEMENT PROBLEMS, HE SAID.
THE APPOINTMENT OF A NURSING DIRECTOR IS IN LINE WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NURSING SERVICE AND THE INCREASED MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES, HE ADDED.
WITH THE APPOINTMENT OF THIS POST, ALL NURSING MATTERS WILL, IN FUTURE, BE DEALT WITH IN THE NURSING HEADQUARTERS WHICH WILL ALSO COMPRISE CHIEF NURSING OFFICERS, ONE EACH TO BE APPOINTED IN THE THREE REGIONS HONG KONG, KOWLOON AND THE NEW TERRITORIES.
THE NURSING DIRECTOR WILL ALSO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR LIAISING WITH THE MEDICAL HEADQUARTERS ON THE MANPOWER REQUIREMENTS FOR THE NURSING GRADES AND CONSIDERING MEANS OF OVERCOMING THE IDENTIFIED SHORTFALL, FORMULATING TRAINING POLICIES TO IMPROVE NURSING STANDARDS AND THE CAREER DEVELOPMENT OF NURSES, AND REVIEWING REGULARLY THE PROVISION OR DEPLOYMENT OF NURSES TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE SERVICE.
OF THE FOUR SENIOR ASSISTANT DIRECTOR POSTS, THREE WILL BE AT. THE REGIONAL LEVEL AND THE FOURTH WILL BE IN THE HEADQUARTERS TO STRENGTHEN THE CENTRAL ADMINISTRATION.
THE THREE REGIONAL DIRECTORS, AS THEY ARE CALLED, WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL OPERATIONAL MATTERS IN THEIR RESPECTIVE REGION WITH DELEGATED AUTHORITY TO DEAL WITH THESE MATTERS AS FAR AS POSSIBLE WITHOUT REFERENCE TO MEDICAL HEADQUARTERS.
/SPECIFICALLY, THE .......