Pharmaceutical Service
The Pharmaceutical Service is made up of two main divisions. The Hospital and Clinic Pharmaceutical Service has a staff of 756 including 56 pharmacists. The second division is the Forensic Pharmacy Service with an establishment of 19 pharmacists supported by a number of clerical staff.
In the Hospital and Clinic Pharmaceutical Service, the continual expansion of the medical services and the introduction of new and sophisticated drugs has resulted in higher drug expenditure. The total amounted to about $317 million in 1987 as compared with the expenditure of $285 millions for the previous year. In view of the high level of expenditure, the budgetary control system had been improved and various cost. control methods were being studied in an attempt to make the service more cost effective.
On the pharmacy law enforcement side, the Inspection and Licensing Unit kept in check the illegal sale and distribution of poisons and antibiotics. There were a total of 93 prosecutions in the year. The Law Enforcement Section had been increasingly called upon by other law enforcement and social service agencies to give lectures on the classification, identification, control and abuse potential of pharmaceutical products.
Examinations for the registration of pharmacists were held as usual in June and December, to enable pharmacy graduates from non- commonwealth countries to practise in Hong Kong. A total of 72 candidates sat and 26 passed.
VII
Medical Development
The demand for medical and health services continues to grow at a steady rate. To cope with the increase in demand, a wide ranging development programme is being implemented including the construction of at least four major hospitals and 22 additional clinics and polyclinics.
The construction of the Tuen Mun Hospital, which will have 1 600 beds, is expected to be completed in 1988, The hospital will serve to reinforce medical services in the western region of the New Territories.
Site formation work on the 1 600 bed Pamela Youde Hospital on Rong Kong Island has been completed. The hospital will provide a comprehensive range of apecialist treatment facilities, including round the clock accident and energency service and a nurse training school when it is completed by 1991/92.
Construction work on the Queen Mary Hospital Extension Stage II is expected to be completed in 1989. There will be an addition of 844 beds and some new psychiatric and paediatric facilities,
Other projects in the pipeline include further extension to the Caritas Medical Centre, United Christian Hospital, Yan chai Hospital, Pok Oi Hospital, and Tung Wah Eastern Hospital. The Government has also approved funds for extensive redevelopment works to turn the Ruttonjee Sanatorium in Wan Chai from an institution for chest and tuberculosis patients into a general hospital. The 200 bed sanatorium will be upgraded into a 614 bed hospital.
VIII Training
Graduates of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Hong Kong and Chinese University are awarded Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degrees recognised by the General Medical Council of Great Britain. Both the Government and the two universities maintain a comprehensive post- graduate training programme. Opportunities are available for local doctors to sit for higher professional examinations and attend professional conferences, seminars and workshops. During the year, 150 doctors were sent overseas under Government sponsorship or other scholarships to receive further training.
The University of Hong Kong produces about 150 doctors a year, and the Chinese University has increased the annual intake of medical students to 140 with effect from 1998.
Nurses are the major front-line workers in the provision of health care service, and the Department's establishment has grown to about 11 700 in early 1988, Basic training for general registered nurses is available at Government, Government-assisted and private hospitals. In early 1988, eight such training schools were in operation with an average annual training capacity of about 1 090 nurses a year. A further two general registered nurse training schools providing about 340 additional training posts are planned for in the coming decade. Over the same period, the average annual training capacity for general enrolled nurses will increase from 550 to 690.
Training in dentistry is available in the Prince Philip Dental Hospital which produced the fourth batch of 68 graduates in January 1988. The Tang Shiu Rin Dental Therapists Training School also offers a 3-year training programme for Student Dental Therapists.
Training schools for registered psychiatric nurses are at Kwal Chung Hospital and Castle Peak Hospital, with an average annual training capacity of 120 and 40 respectively. New schools for registered psychiatric nurses are being planned in United Christian Hospital and Pamela Youde Hospital scheduled for intake in 1991. The former has an annual intake capacity of 40, the latter will take in 45 student in 1991 and 135 from 1992 onwards. Psychiatric enrolled nurses are trained at Castle Peak Hospital which has an average annual training capacity of about 60 nurses a year, to be further increased to 80 in 1988. A new school is being planned in the United Christian Hospital which will have an annual intake capacity of 20 with its first intake in 1991. An extra class of 40 students will also be run in the new school in Castle Peak Hospital on the top of two classes a year originally planned, This class will take in psychiatric Student Nurses or Pupil Nurses for training, according to the need.
There is increasing awareness on the need for continuing training and education for nurses. The post-basic school of the Nursing Unit continues to provide regular post-registration courses in midwifery, health nursing, and community nursing. In-service training courses are also organised where appropriate in intensive care, stoma care, renal nursing, oncology and operating theatre.
The departments of Diagnostic Sciences, Rehabilitation Sciences and Health Sciences of the Hong Kong Polytechnic provide training for para-medical and para-dental staff, including radiographers, optometrists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, medical laboratory technicians and dental technicians. The Shatin Technical Institute of the Technical Education and Industrial Training Department provides training for dispensers which is complemented by in-service departmental training. service training courses are also available for students for prosthetists, mould laboratory technicians in the respective units.
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