Estimates-1958 — Page 177

New posts

1 Electrician

3 Operating Theatre Attendants

8 Motor Drivers

6 Gangers (1*)

6 Office Attendants

11 Messengers

27 Hospital Orderlies Class I

2 Hospital Orderlies Class II

5 Hospital Orderlies Class III

3 Amahs Class I

70 Amahs Class III (8*)

154 Coolies (4*)

1 Cook Class I

11 Watchmen

1 Caretaker

Existing posts deleted

173

818

173

* Approved by Special Warrant during the year.

There are three additional posts of Senior Specialist. Two of them for surgery and radiology (offset by a reduction of two posts of Specialist) were approved during the year; the third post is for the tuberculosis service. Two additional posts of Specialist are for radiology and surgery and there is a new post of Senior Forensic Pathologist, on the same salary as that of Senior Medical Officer.

43 additional posts of Medical and Health Officer are required for planning duties in Medical Headquarters, obstetrical unit, anaesthetic section, New Territories, anti-malaria work, epidemiology, industrial hygiene, leprosy, casualty department Kowloon Hospital, ear nose and throat surgery (2), training to be Radiologists in the new Kowloon General Hospital (10), leave reserve (5), Resettlement area clinics (4) and new institutions such as Shek Kip Mei Polyclinic, Tai Po Clinic, etc. (13). Six additional posts of Radiologist are provided for the radiotherapeutic section, the mobile X-ray unit and the new Sai Ying Pun Clinic (4). Additional equipment and the increasing demand for X-ray examinations account for the increase of 7 posts of Radiographer. One post of Dental Surgeon has been created to provide full-time dental facilities at Queen Mary Hospital and two posts for the clinics to be opened at the North Point Housing Project and the Tsuen Wan Government Primary School.

Proposed expansion of the occupational therapy unit accounts for the additional two posts of Occupational Therapist and four posts of Handicraft Instructor, and the increase in the activities of the Pathological Institute for the creation of a new post of Senior Laboratory Technician.

The increases in nursing staff caused by expanding activities are 6 Nursing Sisters, 3 Health Sisters, 19 Health Visitors, 41 Nurses and 1 Midwife; and nursing staff provided for training for the new Kowloon and Mental Hospitals are 100 Nurses, 16 Dressers, 20 Male Mental Nurses and 20 Nurses (Mental Hospital). The new Kowloon Hospital also accounts for increases of 6 posts of Dispenser, 5 of Radiographic Assistant, 8 of Laboratory Assistant; all of these officers are required to undergo a lengthy period of training.

The other posts listed are required to improve the expanding medical services generally in existing hospitals, clinics and dispensaries, where the volume of work continues to increase, and to provide staff for additional institutions.

The decreases in establishment include the Births and Deaths Registry staff consisting of 1 Executive Officer Class II, 37 Clerks and 1 Messenger to be transferred to the Registrar-General's Department with effect from 1st April, 1957; and 91 Scavenging Coolies and other menial staff transferred to the New Territories District Administration on 1st October, 1956 consequent upon the responsibility for scavenging in the New Territories being assumed by that Department.

These changes in the establishment together with normal increments account for the increase of $3,832,340 in the Personal Emoluments vote.

Under Other Charges Annually Recurrent the additional expenditure is due to the growing demand for medical services, the main increases necessary being $300,000 for drugs and

1