Public Doctors Air Grivences Over Heavy Workloads

Top health officials and more than 100 frontline doctors said they’ve had an honest and constructive discussion about the acute manpower shortage at public hospitals.

Overcrowding at public hospitals, through the winter flu season, has seen doctors take on heavy workloads.

They were able to raise their concerns with Professor Sophia Chan and Hospital Authority chief Dr Leung Pak-yin during a one-and-a-half hour closed-door meeting at Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

Speaking after the meeting, the President of Hong Kong Public Doctors' Association, Mak Siu-king said the two sides had a candid dialogue.

"Our members have expressed many views that are achievable in the short-term like the improvement in the facilities. I think Professor Chan has listened to it," he said.

Professor Chan said doctors made some practical suggestions that could help address the situation.

“There were a lot of constructive comments given to us as to how we can rectify the current situation. Some of them are very practical and doable, so the Hospital Authority is going to quickly look into those comments and suggestion to very quickly work on those so that the existing situation can be improved,” she said.

She added that the government would continue to work on a long-term solution, to prevent the problem surfacing year after year.

Dr Leung said some of the suggestions included increasing the allowances given to doctors when they are required to work overtime, which he described as "reasonable".

Before the meeting, the chairman of the Hospital Authority, John Leong, said on an RTHK programme that he feels distressed and sorry about the problem, although the authority had tried its best to tackle it. However, he admitted that there’s no quick fix solution. He also apologised to patients staying at overcrowded public hospitals during the current winter flu season.