XN000022-1994-07-18 — Page 3

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MONDAY, JULY 18, 1994

SWAC ENDORSES THE CREATION OF HEALTH WORKER GRADE

MEMBERS OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE ADVISORY COMMITTEK (SWAC) TODAY (MONDAY) ENDORSED THE CREATION OF HEALTH WORKER GRADE AND SALARY SCALE FOR HEALTH WORKERS IN RESIDENTIAL CARE HOMES FOR THE ELDERLY.

IT WAS PROPOSED THAT A SALARY SCALE OF MASTER PAY SCALE 7 TO 15 ($9,395 TO $14,935 AT 94/95 LEVEL) BE ESTABLISHED FOR HEALTH WORKERS.

NEW

SWAC CHAIRMAN, MR ERIC LI, SAID THE PROPOSALS TO CREATE THIS HIGHER SCALE HAD BEEN MADE IN RESPONSE TO CONCERN RAISED IN THE RESIDENTIAL CARE HOMES (ELDERLY PERSON) BILL GAZETTED ON OCTOBER 8 LAST YEAR WHICH WAS STILL UNDER CONSIDERATION.

HE POINTED OUT THAT THE BILL HAD EFFECTIVELY IMPOSED DEMAND FOR MORE AS WELL AS BETTER-TRAINED HEALTH WORKERS TO RAISE THE STANDARD OF SERVICE FOR RESIDENTIAL HEALTH CARE HOME FOR THE ELDERLY TO AN ACCEPTABLE LEVEL.

SWAC MEMBERS ALSO NOTED THAT THIS DEMAND COULD NOT BE REGISTERED NURSES WHO WERE ALSO IN SEVERE SHORTAGE.

MET BY

"THERE IS THEREFORE AN URGENT NEED TO IMPROVE THE SALARY SCALE OF THIS GRADE OF STAFF SO AS TO IMPROVE THE RECRUITMENT AND TO ATTRACT MORE PEOPLE TO JOIN THE TRADE.

"SWAC MEMBERS RECOGNISED THAT THIS COULD BE AN EFFECTIVE MEASURE TO RELIEVE THE TEMPORARY SHORTAGE OF HEALTH WORKERS BUT THE COMMITTEE STILL FEELS THAT IN THE LONG RUN THESE POSTS SHOULD BE FILLED BY TRAINED NURSES, MR LI SAID.

1989,

HE SAID TRAINING COURSES FOR HEALTH WORKERS HAD BEEN RUN SINCE BUT THE NUMBER OF TRAINEES HAD BEEN ON THE LOW SIDE.

"THERE ARE CURRENTLY 200 HEALTH WORKERS WHO SHOULD BE QUALIFIED FOR REGISTER.

"WHEN THE LEGISLATION OF THE RESIDENTIAL CARE HOMES (ELDERLY PERSONS) IS ENACTED IT IS ESTIMATED THAT AN ADDITIONAL SUPPLY OF 900 HEALTH WORKERS ARE IMMEDIATELY REQUIRED IN THE PRIVATE HOMES BEFORE THEY CAN COMPLY WITH REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS, MR LI ADDED.

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SWAC MEMBERS ALSO ENDORSED THE COMMENTS OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON SOCIAL WORK TRAINING AND MANPOWER PLANNING (ACSWTMP) ON THE PROJECTIONS OF THE DEMAND FOR AND SUPPLY OF TRAINED SOCIAL WORKERS IN THE FOUR YEARS FROM 1994/95 TO 1997/98 DESCRIBED IN THE SOCIAL WELFARE MANPOWER PLANNING SYSTEMS (SWMPS) REPORT NO. 6.

"THEY BASICALLY OUTLINE THE SURPLUS OF SOCIAL

BUT A CONTINUOUS SHORTAGE OF DIPLOMA HOLDERS IN

甲中

FUTURE, MR LI SAID.

WORK GRADUATES THE FORESEEABLE

HE SAID MEMBERS ENDORSED THE RECOMMENDATIONS INCREASE THE SUPPLY OF DIPLOMA GRADUATES BY:

OF ACSWTMP TO

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