TNAG-0735-FCO40-939-Policy-objective-for-the-developing-of-Hong-Kong-in-the-1980-1978 — Page 37

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Being a firm believer in good staff relationship, I welcome the maintena of consultations with staff at all levels and at all times.

Dr. Fang has referred to the wastage of doctors in particular and I agree with him that recent measures on housing and the creation of more senior posts to recognise higher levels of responsibility should encourage more medical officers to stay longer in the public service.

Another aspect to the maintenance of numbers of medical officers

on my departmental establishment is the supply of qualified doctors, At present the main source is the University of Hong Kong, to be augmented in the not too distant future by the Chinese University of Hong Kong. However, there is a further source from which the overall number of practising doctors in Hong Kong is being increased. I refer to the Licentiate Examination Scheme. This is a Scheme which operates under the auspices of the Medical Council of Hong Kong. There has been real cooperation between the Government and the Medical Council aimed at implementing to the fullest extent the policy inherent in the report of the Working Party on Unregistrable Doctors. I should like at this stage to put on record my appreciation for the sterling efforts of the members of the Medical Council, as well as the Chairman and Members of the Licentiate Committee, in particular, who have contributed so much to make the scheme a success. So far 150 candidates have passed the prescribed examinations and will be available to serve the community after completion of their externship.

It remains for me to take up one last point concerning the School Medical Service Scheme raised by Mr. Cheong-Leen. This has been a subject

of repeated debate in this Council from time to time and the factors behind the low enrolment rate have been examined carefully in the past. As I have stated in my reply to the question by Dr. Ho on 18th October, 1978, the School Medical Service Board is now in the process of considering a report produced by a Special Working Committee and I cannot appropriately

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