Provision of Residential Care Places
7.13 As at 31 March 2011, there were a total of 76 789 residential care places for elders with varying care needs in Hong Kong. Government subsidised places were provided through subvented RCHEs, contract homes, purchase of places from the private sector under the Enhanced Bought Place Scheme and from the self-financing sector under the Nursing Home Place Purchase Scheme. At the same time, self-care hostel and home-for-the-aged places were gradually transformed into care-and-attention places to provide a continuum of care to meet the care needs of the elders. The number of subsidised residential care places for the elderly has been increased from 25 453 as at 31 March 2009 to 25 834 as at 31 March 2011. Chart 11 below shows the provision of residential care places as at 31 March 2011.
 

Enrolled Nurse Training Programme for the Welfare Sector
7.14 SWD, with the assistance of Hospital Authourity, launched another four classes of a two-year, full-time Enrolled Nurse (General)/Enrolled Nurse (Psychiatric) training programme for the welfare sector from December 2009 to February 2011 to address the nursing shortage in the sector, in particular elderly services and rehabilitation services. A total of eight classes with 930 Enrolled Nurse training places were provided, with priority accorded to individuals currently working in the sector. Tuition fees were fully subsidised by SWD, and graduates would have to work in the welfare sector for at least two years after graduation.
 
Contract Management
7.15 We continue to adopt competitive bidding for selecting suitable operators to provide residential care services for elders in purpose-built RCHE premises. The bidding of services is based on quality and service volume and is open to non-governmental organisations and organisations from the private sector. As at 31 March 2011, there were totally 18 RCHEs being awarded contracts. Out of the 16 contract homes having commenced services, seven of them also contained Day Care Units, providing a total of 1 218 subsidised residential care places and 149 subsidised day care places. Moreover, there were 1 015 non-subsidised residential care places in these 16 homes charging reasonable fees ranging from $4,600 a month for a six-person room to $19,400 a month for a two-person room.
   
7.16 The performance of services under contracts has been monitored closely by the Contract Management Section. This includes:
 
   
(a) regular audits of service statistics and information;
   
(b) regular service reviews;
   
(c) unannounced spot checks; and
   
(d) complaints investigation.