'Healthcare Staff May Have To Work In Public Sector'

The government says it’s looking at whether it will in future require medical professionals to work in public institutions for a specified period of time and bring in non-local dentists and nurses, as Chief Executive John Lee promised to revamp the healthcare system to enhance efficiency and shift the focus from treatment to prevention.

In his Policy Address, Lee noted that Hong Kong’s ageing population and the increasing numbers of chronically-ill patients are exerting a 'huge pressure’ on the system.

“Public hospitals are overburdened and the waiting time for specialist services has continued to lengthen. Coupled with the impact of the Covid-19 epidemic, the dire consequences of over-reliance on public hospitals over the years have become more evident. We need to change,” Lee said.

The CE pledged to reduce waiting times for specialist out-patient services at public hospitals by 20 percent in the next financial year, and add around 4,600 beds and 80 operating theatres over the next five years.

But this will also require more manpower – amid a chronic shortage of medical professionals in the territory.

“To help ensure sufficient healthcare manpower for the public healthcare system, we will look into different options including requiring qualified healthcare professionals to serve in public healthcare institutions for a specified period of time, and admitting qualified non-locally trained dentists and nurses,” Lee said, without giving specifics.

Medical sector lawmaker David Lam acknowledged the brain drain involving nurses in recent years.

"We have roughly 2,000 nursing graduates a year. That number is not small. But the attrition rate is quite high. And if we want to import nurses from either across the border or from overseas, then at the present moment the law requires that they sit the examination and pass the examination.

"So it is quite unlike the medical profession where we have limited registration, so in order to increase the flexibility of importing more non-locally trained nurses and dentists, then we may have to amend the law by allowing limited registration for these professionals."

The Chief Executive also said pharmaceutical products that are registered in the mainland will also be sold here if they fulfill stringent requirements on safety, efficacy and quality to diversify the supply of the needed drugs.

Lee stressed that the current system needs to shift from its current treatment-oriented, hospital-based structure to a community-based system that focuses on preventing illnesses by beefing up primary healthcare.

Lee said a Primary Healthcare Blueprint will be drawn up by the end of this year, with District Health Centres (DHCs) partnering up with private clinics to promote a “family doctor for all” concept.

Existing subsidies for the elderly will be increased, with the value of medical vouchers increasing from HK$2,000 to HK$2,500 per year as part of a pilot scheme to run for the next three years from 2023.

Elderly couples can in future share their vouchers, and coverage will be extended to include more primary heathcare services, and authorities will study whether it’s feasible to allow HongKongers living in the Greater Bay Area to use the vouchers across the border.

A new pilot scheme will also be launched where patients of DHCs deemed to be at high risk of hypertension or diabetes will be transferred to private doctors for further examination and treatment – with the government footing half the bill.

The number of subsidised outpatient consultations performed by Chinese medicine practitioners will also be increased from 600,000 to 800,000.

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