Author Archives: hksar gov

     Following is the transcript of remarks made by the Secretary for Food and Health, Professor Sophia Chan, after meeting representatives of medical groups to discuss matters relating to public healthcare manpower yesterday (April 25):

Reporter: (about today’s meeting)

Secretary for Food and Health: Tonight’s meeting is a discussion platform for all key medical stakeholders, including representatives from the Hong Kong Academy of Medicine, the Hong Kong Medical Council, the Hong Kong Medical Association and also the two universities, namely the Hong Kong University and the Chinese University of Hong Hong, plus the Hospital Authority (HA) and the Department of Health (DH). Actually, we have started this platform in early March to discuss and try to resolve the problem of medical manpower shortage. This is our second meeting. I would describe this meeting as constructive and very harmonious. All parties have tried their best to provide their comments and proposals to attract more overseas doctors to come back to Hong Kong to work under the limited registration system.

     First of all, we have looked into the proposals tabled at the meeting concerning the Medical Council, that is how to relax the current system of internship, or we call the assessment period, for overseas doctors that come back to work under limited registration. Different parties gave their comments. Our principle is to give an equal treatment, that is not a discriminatory treatment, to all doctors working at different parties, namely HA, DH and the two universities. This is our principle. The second principle is to provide incentives to attract people to come back. The more relax the proposal, the better it is. We have also discussed at the platform that, apart from specialists, we should look into how to attract intermediate-level doctors as well as fresh graduates to work in Hong Hong. Finally, I put up to the platform that we should streamline the existing limited registration application procedures, so that doctors can come back to work in Hong Kong quicker.

(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.) read more

     Police today (April 25) appealed to the public for information on a Mainland woman who went missing in Mong Kok.      Huang Wanxiang, aged 63, went missing after she was last seen at MTR Mong Ko… read more

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     Given the latest supply situation of measles vaccines, the Hospital Authority (HA) today (April 25) announced the extension of the staff measles vaccination programme to all staff members with inadequate immunity to measles.
 
     According to the recommendations by the Scientific Committee on Vaccine Preventable Diseases under the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health, healthcare workers are among the priority groups to receive measles vaccination.
 
     “While public hospitals have already taken every infection control precaution, the extended vaccination coverage will provide additional protection for hospital staff with possible exposure to measles patients during their communicable period when the symptoms are non-specific,” the HA spokesperson said.
 
     Irrespective of their clinical departments, HA staff members who were born in 1967 or after, have not been confirmed to have had measles before, and have not received any or have only received one previous dose of measles vaccination can make an appointment for vaccination at the Staff Clinics beginning next Monday.
 
     According to information provided by the CHP, people who were born before 1967 or have received two documented doses of vaccination are generally considered to have immunity to measles and additional vaccination is not necessary.
 
     The HA’s staff measles vaccination programme commenced on April 1. Over 3,300 hospital staff members working in high-risk departments and with inadequate immunity have already been vaccinated. read more

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     At the Administrative and Operational Meeting today (April 25), the Hospital Authority (HA) Board approved in principle to consider remuneration package enhancement for staff at obsolete ranks performing the same or similar duties as different ranks of Patient Care Assistant and Operation Assistant, for example, Health Care Assistant and Workman II.

     The enhancement arrangement will be explored in the second phase of the consultancy study, which is targeted to be completed by September this year. Upon completion of the study and consultation process, the HA will submit the enhancement proposal to the HA Board for deliberation. Subject to the Board’s approval, the enhancement arrangement will be implemented with retrospective effect from April 1 this year if applicable. 
 
     An HA spokesperson expressed gratitude to the staff concerned at obsolete ranks for their contributions over the years. The HA will continue to listen to the views of staff and explore proactively with a view to working out an appropriate proposal eventually.
 
     Upon considering the pay benchmarking with the general market conducted by the consultancy firm as well as the views from various stakeholders and representatives of the relevant consultative committees, the HA earlier implemented pay enhancement for various ranks of Patient Care Assistants, Operation Assistants and Executive Assistants who are remunerated under a pay range system to attract new recruits and retain serving staff to alleviate work pressure of front-line staff. read more

The following is issued on behalf of the Legislative Council Secretariat:        The meeting of the Legislative Council (LegCo) Finance Committee (FC) originally scheduled at 3pm tomorrow (April 26) in Conference Room 1 of th… read more