XN000022-1988-05-04 — Page 17

15

WEDNESDAY, MAY 4, 1988

** THE PROVISIONAL HOSPITAL AUTHORITY WILL NOT HAVE ANY EXECUTIVE POWERS AND THE PRESENT SYSTEM OF HOSPITAL OPERATION CONTINUE UNTIL SUCH TIME AS THE STATUTORY HOSPITAL AUTHORITY FORMED, WHICH WE HOPE WILL BE IN 1989," HE SAID.

WILL IS

MR CHAMBERS POINTED OUT THAT IT WAS NECESSARY AS FAR AS POSSIBLE TO ALLAY THE WORRIES OF THE STAFF OF THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT WHO WOULD BE AFFECTED BY THE CHANGES.

11

WITH THE STAFF HAVE BEEN FORMAL AND INFORMAL CONTACTS

'PROPER CHANNELS OF CONSULTATION ESTABLISHED AND THERE ARE NOW REGULAR FOR VIEWS AND IDEAS TO BE EXCHANGED.

"ALL EXISTING STAFF HAVE BEEN ASSURED THAT THEY WILL BR ABLE TO RETAIN THEIR CIVIL SERVANT STATUS UNDER THE NEW SYSTEM IF THEY SO WISH, AND THAT THEIR PRESENT STATUS WILL NOT BE CHANGED ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE PROVISIONAL HOSPITAL AUTHORITY.

"THERE WILL NEED TO BE A GREAT DEAL OF FURTHER CONSULTATION BEFORE THE NEW TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF APPOINTMENT ARE ACCEPTED AND IMPLEMENTED AFTER THE STATUTORY HOSPITAL AUTHORITY IS ESTABLISHED.'

ON THE WASTAGE RATE OF DOCTORS IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR, ESPECIALLY IN THE SUBVENTED HOSPITALS, MR CHAMBERS SAID THE SUBJECT WAS A MATTER OF CONSIDERABLE CONCERN TO THE GOVERNMENT.

CAREER

"WHILE WE SHALL CONTINUE TO CONSIDER IMPROVED OPPORTUNITIES IN TERMS OF PROMOTION AND TRAINING FOR PUBLIC SECTOR DOCTORS, WHICH HAVE ALREADY PROVED TO BE EFFECTIVE IN PERSUADING SOME DOCTORS TO STAY, THERE 13 REALLY NO IMMEDIATE SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM.

"IN THE

LONGER

TERM HOWEVER, I SOMETHING CAN BE DONE TO IMPROVE THE CONTINUED.

AM MORI OPTIMISTIC THAT SITUATION, MR CHAMBERS

"ONE OF THE MAJOR OBJECTIVES OF SETTING UP THE HOSPITAL AUTHORITY IS TO CREATE A UNIFORM SET OF EMPLOYMENT CONDITIONS FOR ALL STAFF IN PUBLIC HOSPITALS.

"THIS WILL ELIMINATE THE PRESENT DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND SUBVENTED HOSPITAL STAFF WHICH MUST BE AT LEAST PARTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE UNACCEPTABLY HIGH WASTAGE RATE OF DOCTORS IN THE SUBVENTED SECTOR.'

"

TO

1 HOPE TOO THAT THE NEW PACKAGE WILL ·BE MORE FLEXIBLE THAN THE CIVIL SERVICE TERMS AND THAT THIS WILL MAKE IT MORE ATTRACTIVE THE DOCTORS.

TURNING TO