XN000022-1994-10-19 — Page 25

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19, 1994

NURSES

THE REASONS FOR A RELATIVELY HIGH WASTAGE AMONG STUDENT ARE MANY AND VARIED. ALTHOUGH THIS IS A COMMON PHENOMENON FOR ALMOST ANY TRAINING GRADES, SOME KEY FACTORS INCLUDE THE GROWING COMMUNITY ASPIRATIONS FOR TERTIARY EDUCATION, THE INCREASING VOLUME AND COMPLEXITY OF DUTIES BORNE BY FRONTLINE NURSING STAFF, THE PRESENT APPRENTICESHIP MODE OF TRAINING, AND THE GENERAL COMPETITIVENESS OF OUR LABOUR MARKET.

TO TACKLE THE ABOVE PROBLEMS, GOVERNMENT HAS ALLOCATED ADDITIONAL RESOURCES THROUGH THE HOSPITAL AUTHORITY AND THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO IMPROVE THE TEACHER TO STUDENT RATIO IN NURSING SCHOOLS, TO ENHANCE THE LEARNING COMPONENT OF STUDENT NURSES, TO EXPAND THE SCOPE OF POST-BASIC EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES FOR SERVING STAFF, AND TO RECRUIT SUPPORTING PERSONNEL SUCH AS HEALTH CARE ASSISTANTS TO RELIEVE FRONTLINE NURSES FROM NON-PROFESSIONAL DUTIES. FURTHERMORE, THE AUTHORITY IS EXAMINING OTHER MEASURES TO RECTIFY THE SEASONAL PATTERN OF WASTAGE. WE ARE ALSO PURSUING SEPARATELY WITH THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER THE PROVISION OF MORE FIRST YEAR FIRST DEGREE PLACES FOR MATRICULANTS ASPIRING TO JOIN THE NURSING PROFESSION AS A LONG-TERM CAREER.

FINALLY, MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL MAY WISH TO BE ASSURED THAT THE PREVAILING WASTAGE RATE HAS NOT CAUSED ANY NEGATIVE IMPACT ON SERVICE DELIVERY, AS DEMONSTRATED BY THE NET INCREASE OF 3.8% IN THE TOTAL NUMBER OF NURSES WORKING IN THE HOSPITAL AUTHORITY FROM 16,637 AS AT 31 DECEMBER 1993 TO 17,262 AS AT 31 JULY 1994.

SCHOOL SUPPORT TEAMS

FOLLOWING IS A QUESTION BY DR THE HON TANG SIU-TONG AND A WRITTEN REPLY BY THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, MR ALISTAIR THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY):

ASPREY, IN

QUESTION : SINCE THE POLICE HAVE SET UP "SCHOOL

**

SUPPORT TEAMS IN CERTAIN POLICE DISTRICTS TO TACKLE THE PROBLEM OF TRIAD ACTIVITIES IN SCHOOLS, WILL THE GOVERNMENT INFORM THIS COUNCIL :

(A) IN WHICH POLICE DISTRICTS HAVE THE POLICE SET UP

"SCHOOL SUPPORT TEAMS" WHAT TYPES OF WORK HAVE

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BEEN CARRIED OUT BY SUCH TEAMS, AND WHETHER THE PRACTICAL RESULTS OF THEIR WORK ARE CONSIDERED SATISFACTORY;

(B)

(C)

WHETHER THE REASON FOR THE POLICE NOT SETTING UP *SCHOOL SUPPORT TEAMS" IN ALL POLICE DISTRICTS IS BECAUSE IT IS CONSIDERED UNNECESSARY TO DO SO OR WHETHER IT IS BECAUSE OF INSUFFICIENT MANPOWER RESOURCES; AND

WHETHER THE GOVERNMENT HAS LAUNCHED OTHER PROGRAMMES IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE SETTING UP OF "SCHOOL SUPPORT TEAMS" TO SUPPRESS TRIAD ACTIVITIES IN SCHOOL?

/REPLY: