XN000022-1983-05-25 — Page 23

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WEDNESDAY, MAY 25, 1983

TRAINING CAPACITIES TO BE EXPANDED FOR MEDICAL STAFF

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THERE WERE ON THE WHOLE SUFFICIENT MEDICAL AND PARA-MEDICAL STAFF TO MAINTAIN THE PRESENT LEVEL OF SERVICES, THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, THE HON HENRY CHING, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

HOWEVER, THE POSITION WAS LESS SATISFACTORY IN THE SUBVENTED SECTOR THAN IN THE GOVERNMENT SECTOR, MR CHING SAID IN REPLY TO QUESTIONS BY THE HON ALEX WU.

PRESENT INDICATIONS WERE THAT BASED ON THE MEDICAL DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE'S STANDARDS, THERE WOULD BE A PROJECTED SHORTFALL OF DOCTORS AND, TO A LESSER EXTENT, NURSING AND PARA-MEDICAL STAFF IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR OVER THE NEXT DECADE, MR CHING SAID.

HE TOLD THE COUNCIL THAT DISCUSSIONS WERE BEING HELD WITH THE UNIVERSITIES WITH A VIEW TO INCREASING THE INTAKES TO THE MEDICAL SCHOOLS.

HE SAID THAT IN ADDITION, EIGHT NEW NURSES TRAINING SCHOOLS AND FOUR PROJECTS FOR THE EXTENSION OF EXISTING SCHOOLS WERE BEING PLANNED INCREASING THE TOTAL TRAINING CAPACITY IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR FROM 1 722 TO 2 567 PLACES BY THE END OF THE PLANNING DECADE.

HE ALSO DISCLOSED THAT PLANS WERE IN HAND TO FURTHER EXPAND TRAINING CAPACITY AT THE POLYTECHNIC FOR MEDICAL LABORATORY TECHNICIANS AND FOR OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS,

CRIMINAL RECORDS MAINTAINED BY POLICE

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THE POLICE MAINTAIN RECORDS OF 481 271 PERSONS WHO HAVE BEEN FOUND GUILTY OF VARIOUS CRIMINAL OFFENCES BY COURTS IN HONG KONG, THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, THE HON DAVID JEAFFRESON, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

REPLYING TO QUESTIONS BY THE HON ANDREW SO, MR JEAFFRESON SAID IN THE ABSENCE OF A DETAILED EXAMINATION OF EACH RECORD, HE COULD NOT SAY HOW MANY OF THESE CASES HAD BEEN SUBJECT TO +NO CONVICTION RECORDED+ ORDERS.

HE SAID THAT FOR CASES BEFORE THE COURTS IN THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS, THE PROPORTION WITH NO CONVICTION RECORDED+ WAS VERY SMALL.

THIS, HE EXPLAINED, WAS THE CONSEQUENCE OF GUIDELINES SET OUT IN APPEAL CASES REGARDING THE USE OF THIS PROCEDURE.

THE NUMBERS OF PERSONS APPLYING FOR CERTIFICATES OF NO CRIMINAL CONVICTION+ WERE 16 273 IN 1980, 17 521 IN 1981 AND 20 638 IN 1982 WHILE THE NUMBERS OF CERTIFICATES ISSUED FOR THE THREE RESPECTIVE YEARS WERE 15 917 (98 PER CENT), 17 082 (97.5 PER CENT), AND 20 111 (97.2 PER CENT).

/MR JEAFFRESON