XN000022-1984-10-10 — Page 9

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 10, 1984 ·

JUB PROSPECTS * * *

THERE WOULD BE ABOUT 50 VACANCIES FOR DENTISTS IN THE GOVERNMENT SERVICE FROM NOW UP TO EARLY 1986, THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, DR THE HON K.L. THONG, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

HE WAS REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON MARJA TAM ABOUT THE JOB PROSPECTS FOR GRADUATES OF THE PRINCE PHILIP DENTAL SCHEME.

DR THONG SAID THAT, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE EXISTING AND ANTICIPATED STAFF POSITIONS AND POSTS ARISING FROM PLANNED PROJECTS, THERE WOULD BE ABOUT 50 POSTS AVAILABLE FOR OPEN RECRUITMENT FROM NOW TO EARLY 1986.

THERE WOULD BE 69 GRADUATES FROM THE PRINCE PHILIP DENTAL HOSPITAL NEXT YEAR, AND 71 IN 1986.

THERE WERE PLANS TO ABSORB SOME OF THESE GRADUATES INTO THE GOVERNMENT SERVICE, IN ACCORDANCE WITH NORMAL RECRUITMENT PROCEDURES.

THOSE GRADUATES FOUND SUITABLE AND RECRUITED WOULD BE POSTED TO VARIOUS GOVERNMENT DENTAL CLINICS, HOSPITALS AND THE SCHOOL DENTAL SERVICE, HE SAID.

HOWEVER, THERE WERE NO PLANS TO EMPLOY THESE NEW GRADUATES IN GOVERNMENT-SUBVENTED ESTABLISHMENTS, AS THERE WERE NO VACANCIES IN THESE HOSPITALS AT PRESENT.

DR THONG SAID THAT A MAJOR OBJECTIVE OF ESTABLISHING THE DENTAL FACULTY IN THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG, WAS TO PRODUCE DENTISTS WHO WOULD BE EXPECTED TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY BY PRACTISING IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR.

+THIS IS STILL THE CASE WITH THE NEW DENTAL GRADUATES OF THE UNIVERSITY, HE SAID.

THE ACTUAL PLACEMENT OF THE NEW GRADUATES IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR WOULD LARGELY DEPEND ON CIRCUMSTANCES AND MARKET FORCES WHICH COULD ONLY BE APPARENT AFTER THEY HAD GRADUATED.

HE TOLD THE COUNCIL THAT THE SITUATION WOULD BE MONITORED ALTHOUGH IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE TO PREDICT WITH ANY DEGREE OF ACCURACY THE EXTENT OF THE ACTUAL PLACEMENT AT THIS STAGE.

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