Replies to LegCo questions
LCQ10: Upgrading nursing education to degree level
Following is a question by the Hon Joseph Lee and a written reply by the
Secretary for Food and Health, Dr York Chow, in the Legislative Council today
(October 31):
Question:
Regarding the motion on "Policy on nursing manpower" passed by this Council on
20 June this year, the Government indicates in its progress report on the motion
that it will upgrade local nursing education to degree level. In this
connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(a) of the estimated number of nursing degree graduates from each institution in
each of the next three academic years;
(b) how the proposed upgrading of nursing education to degree level will be
implemented, and whether it will provide additional funding so that the
University Grants Committee can increase the number of government-funded
first-year places for degree programmes on nursing; if it will, of the number of
the places concerned in the next three academic years, broken down by
institution; if not, the reasons for that; and
(c) in relation to the long-term planning for nursing manpower, whether it will
amend the Nurses Registration Ordinance (Cap. 164) to prescribe that any person
shall meet the qualification requirement for registering as a registered nurse
or enrolling as an enrolled nurse only if he or she is a holder of a degree in
nursing; if it will, of the details; if not, the reasons for that, and whether
it has assessed if the Government has, in not amending the Ordinance, breached
its commitment to upgrade local nursing education to degree level; if an
assessment has been made, of the results?
Reply:
Madam President,
(a) According to the information provided by various institutions, the numbers
of graduates from local nursing degree programmes (including publicly funded and
self-financed ones) in the coming three academic years are projected in Annex I.
Besides, publicly funded higher diploma nursing programmes are organised by the
Hong Kong Polytechnic University and the Hospital Authority (HA), the graduates
of which are also eligible for registration as registered nurses. In the coming
three academic years, the numbers of graduates of these two programmes are
projected in Annex II.
(b) To implement our policy of upgrading nursing education to degree level, the
number of first-year-first-degree places for nursing undergraduate programmes
offered by University Grants Committee (UGC)-funded institutions has already
been raised from 450 in the 2004/05 academic year to 518 in the 2007/08 academic
year. In addition, the UGC has started to provide 30 Year 2 senior year places
for nursing undergraduate programmes since the 2005/06 academic year, in order
to provide more articulation opportunities for graduates of sub-degree nursing
programmes. We will continue to monitor closely the nursing manpower
requirements. We will give advice to the UGC in relation to the publicly funded
places of nursing programmes, which will serve as reference for institutions in
formulating their academic plans.
(c) Upgrading local nursing education to degree level is still the long-term
target of the Government. In the light of the current and short-term shortage of
nurses, and in order to create opportunities for young people with Form 5
education level and who want to join the health care profession to serve the
community, we have put in place other measures to ensure an adequate supply of
nurses in Hong Kong to meet the needs of medical and social welfare
organisations. For example, we have allocated funds to the HA to continue
organising enrolled nurse training programmes for the social welfare sector.
The Nursing Council of Hong Kong is the statutory body responsible for the
registration of nurses. It will, within the purview of its professional
autonomy, formulate the most appropriate arrangements regarding the enrolment
and registration of nurses, having regard to the community needs and the actual
demand for and supply of nurses.
Ends/Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Issued at HKT 12:42
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