Page 1 - Panel_on_Health_Services_OHKF_March2019

Panel on Health Services
th
March 8 , 2019

Views on manpower situation of the Hospital Authority-
Submission of Our Hong Kong Foundation

Panel Members,

Thank you for this opportunity to make a few remarks on behalf of Our Hong Kong
Foundation (OHKF).

OHKF is delighted to be a part of the Panel on Health Services’ discussion on the corporate
and manpower situation of the Hospital Authority (HA). OHKF has actively been advocating for
st
the need to improve our ailing health system to make it fit for purpose in the 21 century. In
November 2018, OHKF launched a policy research report that looks into how Hong Kong’s health
system can prepare and adapt in the face of (a) an ageing population and (b) the growing burden
of chronic diseases that have become more prevalent among younger generations (our report can
be downloaded from:
https://ourhkfoundation.org.hk/sites/default/files/media/pdf/ohkf_research_report_digital_120
1.pdf). Our report looks into the complex system-wide changes that need to be developed,
designed and implemented in Hong Kong, and we advocate for moving towards a primary care-
led integrated person-centred health system that adequately meets the healthcare needs of our
population.

Amidst the many challenges faced by our health system, the issue of shortage in doctors
remains unresolved and has recently resurfaced in the public arena causing widespread
concern. The current situation is dire. In 2017, our population of close to 7.4 million people was
served by 14290 fully registered doctors, equating to having approximately 1.9 doctors for every
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1000 people in Hong Kong . This number is well below the Organisation for Economic Co-
operation and Development (OECD) average of 3.4, and we lag behind international peers
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including the UK (3.7) and Singapore (2.4) . In other words, Hong Kong needs to have an addition
of approximately 12985 and 3376 doctors in order to catch up with the ratio in the UK and
Singapore, respectively. Worthy of particular attention is the enormous burden placed on our
public hospital system and the overworked doctors serving it. The HA provided approximately
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80% of inpatient hospital services throughout recent years but only had a close to 50% share of
active doctors in Hong Kong to provide services. The situation is worsened by the increasing
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attrition rate observed among HA fulltime doctors that peaked an average of 5.9% in 2017-18 .

1 Health Facts of Hong Kong (2018 Edition); Hong Kong in Figures (2018 Edition).
2 HKSAR Food and Health Bureau; OECD data; Yearbook of Statistics, Singapore. Note: calculated based on number of doctors with full registration in the UK
and doctors with full/conditional/temporary in Singapore. Note: Singapore ratio represents number of doctors in Singapore per 1000 total population.
3 Hong Kong Annual Digest of Statistics, Census and Statistics Department.
4 Department of Health 2015 Manpower Survey.
5 Replies to initial written questions raised by Finance Committee Members in examining the Estimates of Expenditure 2018-19, HKSAR Food and Health
Bureau.

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