XN000022-1993-10-06 — Page 28

16

SUPPORT FOR NURSES

**

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1993

THE

GOVERNOR,

THE ᎡᎢ

HON CHRISTOPHER

TODAY

SAID PATTEN,

PROFESSIONAL

(WEDNESDAY) THE GOVERNMENT WAS DETERMINED TO ENHANCE THE STATUS AND EXPERTISE OF NURSES SO AS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF PATIENT CARE IN HOSPITALS.

IN HIS ANNUAL ADDRESS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, SAID THE GOVERNMENT WOULD :

MR PATTEN

SPONSOR SELECTED COURSES;

INDIVIDUALS TO ATTEND DEGREE CONVERSION

*

OFFER

NURSES ADDITIONAL TRAINING WITHIN THE HOSPITAL AUTHORITY AND THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH;

*

PROVIDE MORE DEGREE PLACES TO ALLOW YOUNG PEOPLE TO TAKE NURSING QUALIFICATIONS AT THE TERTIARY LEVEL; AND

UP

*

CREATE ADDITIONAL SPECIALISED POSTS WITHIN BOTH THE HOSPITAL AUTHORITY AND THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH.

ABLE OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS, THE HOSPITAL AUTHORITY HAS BEEN

SEVEN PER PUT 1,100 EXTRA NURSES ON TO THE WARDS, AN INCREASE OF CENT OVER 1991.

TO

THE GOVERNMENT FORECAST THAT RECRUITMENT WOULD INCREASE FROM 1,845 IN 1992 TO 2,020 THIS YEAR.

"BUT MORE HOSPITAL BEDS MEAN THAT, IN ADDITION TO REPLACEMENTS FOR THOSE WHO LEAVE THE SERVICE, WE WILL NEED ANOTHER 500 NURSES EVERY YEAR

EVEN THE WITH FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS IF WE ARE TO KEEP UP CURRENT RATIO OF NURSES TO PATIENTS.

++

HE SAID THE HOSPITAL AUTHORITY WAS CONFIDENT THAT IT WOULD ABLE TO ACHIEVE THIS TARGET.

0

BE

GOVT TO LAUNCH NEW HOSPICE PROGRAMME

THE HOSPITAL AUTHORITY WILL NEXT YEAR PROVIDE HOSPICE CARE FOR 500 ADDITIONAL PATIENTS, HELPING TO RELIEVE PAIN AND TO CONTROL SYMPTOMS, AS WELL AS OFFERING PSYCHOLOGICAL, SPIRITUAL AND BEREAVEMENT SUPPORT.

THIS WAS STATED BY THE GOVERNOR, THE RT HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN, TODAY (WEDNESDAY) WHEN DELIVERING HIS ANNUAL ADDRESS LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

IN

THE

/HE SAID