HA Extends Retirement Age To Counter Shortages

The Hospital Authority said on Thursday it has decided to allow its medical staff to work for an additional five years, to counter recent labour shortages.

Some 1,650 medical professionals and 4,000 support staff turning 60 in the next five years, who would have had to retire, are now expected to stay on under a “highly flexible” arrangement that extends the HA’s retirement age from 60 to 65.

HA chairman Henry Fan explained that an increasing number of doctors and nurses have been leaving in the past two years.

“We believe that some are moving to the private sector, others are retiring, others told us that they just want to take a rest, and there are also some who told us that they are leaving Hong Kong, so it's a combination of various factors,” he said of the recent shortages.

Staff turning 60 will be consulted on the terms of their contract, the nature of their job, and the possibility of relocating to other hospitals, Fan said.

While the measure is aimed at retaining frontline staff, those in management positions will also be given the option of staying on if they are willing to go where manpower is most needed.

"It is unlikely that doctors who are holding clinical management positions would continue to do so, chances are those who are holding a management position would switch to frontline clinical duties as their employment terms are extended." Fan explained.

The HA expects that an extra HK$5.9 billion will be needed to cover the cost of retaining staff.

Separately, the HA said it’s adding a new rank for nurses, to boost promotion prospects.

The new rank of associate nurse consultant will come between the ranks of advance practice nurse and nurse consultant.

"It fits very nicely into the whole career development, so that our colleagues, when they have further speciality development, they can go along the sort of more traditional stream of going up the career ladder,” said Tony Ko, the HA’s chief executive.