New Hires To Cut Admin Strain On Nurses: Officials

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2019-03-14 HKT 18:21

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  The Hospital Authority says it will alleviate the administrative burden on nurses and allow doctors to work flexible hours. Photo: RTHK

The Hospital Authority is planning to hire hundreds of clerks in the next few years to help take some of the administrative burden that's currently being placed on nurses at public hospitals.

Frontline staff have long complained that they are often pushed to the limit when handling a flood of patients during the winter flu season. To make things worse, they often have to deal with administrative duties at the same time.

To address their concerns, the Hospital Authority said it is planning to hire 420 administrative assistants over the next three years. It said it will also try to rearrange meetings to less busy periods.

The authority is also launching a pilot scheme offering flexible working hours to doctors at emergency wards and family medicine units, to attract talent who can't commit to full-time work.

In a paper submitted to Legco on Thursday, the authority also said it is planning to hire more than 500 doctors and 2,200 nurses in the coming year.