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 $409 million in 1988 as compared with the expenditure of $317 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 76 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 90 candidates sat and 28 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 18 additional clinics and polyclinics.
The construction of the Tuen Mun Hospital, which will have 1 600 beds, is expected to be completed in 1989. 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 Hong Kong Island has been completed. The hospital will provide a comprehensive range of specialist treatment facilities, including round the clock accident and emergency service and a nurse training school when it is completed by 1992.
Construction work on the Queen Mary Hospital Extension Stage II is expected to be completed in 1989. There will be à total net addition of 513 beds and some new psychiatric and paediatric facilities upon completion of the Stage III extension project by 1993.
Other projects in the pipeline include further extension to the United Christian Hospital, Yan Chai Hospital, Pok Oi Hospital, and Tung Wah Eastern Hospital. Redevelopment of the Ruttonjee Sanatorium from an institution for chest and tuberculosis patients with 280 beds into a general hospital with 614 beds is due to be completed in 1990.
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, 195 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 1988.
Nurses are the major front-line workers in the provision of health care service, and the Department's establishment has grown to about 12 040 in early 1989. Basic training for general nurses is available at Government, Government-assisted and private hospitals. In early 1989, nine training schools for student nurses and ten for pupil nurses were in operation with an average annual intake capacity of about 1 120 and 500 respectively, One more student nurse training school and one more pupil nurse training school are planned for the coming decade. Over the same period, the average annual intake capacity is to be increased from 1 120 to 1 390 for general student nurses and from 500 to 660 for general pupil
nurses.
Training in dentistry is available in the Prince Philip Dental Hospital which produced the fifth batch of 49 graduates in January 1989, The Tang Shiu Kin Dental Therapists Training School also offers a 3-year training programme for Student Dental Therapists.
Training schools for psychiatric student nurses are at Kwai Chung Hospital and Castle Peak Hospital, with an average annual intake capacity of 120 and 50 respectively. New schools for psychiatric student nurses are being planned in United Christian Hospital and Pamela Youde Hospital. The former has a maximum annual intake capacity of 40, the latter will take in 90 student in 1992 and 135 from 1993 onwards. Psychiatric pupil nurses are trained at Castle Peak Hospital which has an average annual latake capacity of 70 in 1988. A new school is being planned in the United Christian Hospital which will have an annual intake capacity of 20.
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