XN000022-1996-12-04 — Page 26

· 24.

Training course for health workers

Following is a question by the Hon Ms Chan Yuen-han and a written reply by the Secretary for Health and Welfare, Mrs Katherine Fok, in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):

Question:

The Social Welfare Department has organised a four-month Training Course for health workers in conjunction with the Hong Kong College of Nursing, Hong Kong Red Cross and St. John Ambulance Association and Brigade. Participants of the course are required to pay a course fee of $2,200. They are also required to sign an undertaking which stipulates that they have to pay an indemnity of HK$3,300 or part thereof to the Social Welfare Department should they fail to obtain employment as a health worker within six months after completing the course or if they work in such capacity for less than one year. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(a)

(b)

of the following, since the holding of the first training course for health workers:

(i)

(ii)

the ratio between the number of participants completing the course and the number of such participants who are successful in obtaining employment as health workers;

the reasons why some participants have failed to obtain employment;

(iii) the number of participants who have failed to comply with the

stipulations of the undertaking and have to pay an indemnity;

(iv)

the number of applications for exemption from payment of indemnity as well as the numbers of approvals for exempting full or partial payment of indemnity; and the criteria for granting such exemptions;

of the overall demand and shortfall situations of health workers in government-subvented residential care homes, financially independent non-profit-making residential care homes and private residential care

homes;