XN000022-1975-03-20 — Page 11

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THURSDAY, MARCH 20, 1975

CONCERN OVER MEDICAL STAFF

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DR. THE HON. HARRY FANG TODAY QUESTIONED WHETHER ADEQUATE PROVISION WAS BEING MADE TO MEET ADDITIONAL STAFFING REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PRINCESS MARGARET HOSPITAL AND OTHER CLINICS WHICH ARE DUE TO OPEN THIS YEAR OR NEXT.

ONLY 273 EXTRA POSTS WERE PROVIDED IN THE 1975/76 DRAFT ESTIMATES OF EXPENDITURE FOR NEW PROJECTS WHICH TOGETHER WOULD PROVIDE 1,815 MORE BEDS, AND HE WONDERED HOW THIS COULD BE ENOUGH.

HE WAS PARTICULARLY CONCERNED WITH THE STAFFING OF PRINCESS MARGARET HOSPITAL, WHICH WILL MAKE AVAILABLE MORE THAN 1,000 BEDS THIS YEAR, AND ASKED FOR CLARIFICATION AS TO HOW THE HOSPITAL WAS TO BE RUN.

THE 56 MEDICAL OFFICER POSTS ALLOWED IN THE

ESTIMATES FOR BOTH THIS HOSPITAL AND THE LAI CHI KOK HOSPITAL, HE SAID. +SEEMS TOTALLY INADEQUATE AND REPRESENTS LESS THAN HALF THE PREVIOUS PLANNING TARGET OF 137 MEDICAL OFFICERS

IN 1975/76.+

IN HIS OPINION, THERE WAS LITTLE ROOM FOR REDEPLOYMENT OF STAFF FROM OTHER INŠTITUTIONS SINCE SOME OF THEM WERE ALREADY UNDERSTAFFED.

→WHEN TIMES ARE DIFFICULT, IT IS TO BE EXPECTED THAT MORE WILL TURN TOWARDS THE GOVERNMENT FOR MEDICAL AND SOCIAL SERVICES. AND WE MUST BE IN A POSITION TO RESPOND TO SUCH DEMANDS IF SOCIAL DISTRESS IS TO BE AVOIDED,+ HE SAID.

DR. FANG ALSO EXPRESSED CONCERN OVER THE TRAINING COURSES FOR CLINICAL INSTRUCTORS AND NURSE TUTORS WHICH WERE ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED TO BEGIN NEXT SEPTEMBER BUT WHICH HAD NOW BEEN PUT BACK AFTER 1975/76.

HE WONDERED WHETHER THE LIMITATIONS PLACED ON STAFF RECRUITMENT WOULD DELAY VARIOUS PROPOSED MEASURES TO IMPROVE THE SUPPLY OF NURSING PERSONNEL, AND SUGGESTED THAT PRIORITIES BE RE-EXAMINED TO ALLOW THESE MUCH NEEDED AND LONG OVERDUE IMPROVEMENTS TO BE INTRODUCED WITH EVERY POSSIBLE SPEED.

REFERRING TO THE LAMB REPORT SUBMITTED NEARLY NINE MONTHS AGO, DR. FANG ASKED WHAT PROGRESS HAD BEEN MADE IN IMPLEMENTING THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND WHETHER THE PRESENT FINANCIAL STRINGENCY WAS LIKELY TO DELAY IMPLEMENTATION IN SPECIFIC AREAS,

HE ALSO WANTED AN ASSURANCE THAT THE SHORTAGES OF EQUIPMENT AND ESSENTIAL SUPPLIES IN GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS REPORTED BY MISS LAMB HAD, IF THEY EXISTED, NOW BEEN RECTIFIED.

/ON THE

F