XN000022-1996-03-13 — Page 67

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On the basis of the projected demand for and supply of these allied health personnel, the Government will take appropriate action to meet These could include the projected demand through various means.

increases in the number of student places for these professions in local tertiary institutions, better co-ordination in clinical placements for these students, overseas training and recruitment, as well as scholarships for training. The Government will also set up a mechanism to review regularly the supply and demand situation of these allied health personnel in future.

While the studies on the allied health personnel are still in progress, the Government has already taken certain steps to tackle problems so far identified. For example, at the request of the Government, the University Grants Committee has provided necessary funding to the University of Hong Kong and the Chinese University of Hong Kong to expand the number of places for their Master Degree courses for clinical psychologists for 1996-97. The University of Hong Kong has also, in view of community demand, initiated an increase in the number of first degree places for speech therapists. The Government is now discussing the feasibility of with the Polytechnic University of Hong Kong expanding the number of places for its physiotherapy degree course. The Social Welfare Department has, for the first time, co-ordinated the recruitment of clinical psychologists from overseas for both itself and for non-governmental organisations. Action is also in hand to identify appropriate sources of funding for training scholarships.

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