94
10.7 Health Inspector (10.15)
847 posts
It
Staff of the grade, through the Hong Kong Public Health Inspectors' Association, submitted a case to us requesting that the minimum entry qualification of the grade should be raised from school certificate to matriculation so that they may be better academically prepared to study for the various diploma course examinations taken by Health Inspectors, and in order that they may be better equipped to discharge managerial responsibilities at senior levels. was also argued that since the Diploma in Public Health Inspection for General Overseas Appointments is awarded only to persons of 21 years of age and above, the age of recruits to the student rank should also be about 19, the average age at which students complete their matriculation education. We were also informed of the educational requirement for appointment as Environmental Health Officer in the United Kingdom for comparative purposes.
In response to these submissions, we conducted a review of the grade which encompassed the training needs, the salaries and rank structure, the managerial role, as well as the relativity of the grade with other comparable grades in the civil service.
The result of our review indicates that none of the standard examinations taken by the Health Inspectors specifies matriculation as the minimum requirement. Statistics in the past five years also show that 90% of the school certificate Student Health Inspectors passed the first diploma examination to qualify for appointment as Health Inspectors. This diploma also qualifies them to take examinations in a second diploma, i.e. either the Royal Society of Health Diploma for Inspectors of Meat and Other Foods, (of which the passing-rate for school certificate holders is over 80% for the same period) or the Diploma in Solid Wastes Management. Possession of either one of the second diplomas qualifies them for progression to higher ranks.
There is no evidence to show that school certificate holders in the Health Inspectorate are not capable of performing the managerial duties assigned to them. Furthermore, in our opinion, the basic educational qualification held by Student Health Inspectors becomes less important on completion of training when they all become diplomates of the Royal Society of Health. In other words, they have all undergone a further period of study, which, in addition to providing specialist training, also better prepares them generally to perform their duties and carry higher responsibilities.
It has also been established that although the Diploma for Public Health Inspection for General Overseas Appointments is not issued to persons under 21 years of age, Student Health Inspectors who upon completion of training have passed all the necessary examinations are paid as Health
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.