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Following is a transcript of remarks made by the Secretary for Food and Health, Dr Ko Wing-man, after attending a radio programme today (January 18):
Reporter: In the Policy Address, it said about $200 billion will be allocated to develop public hospitals. With more hospitals and hospital beds, will there be enough medical staff to handle that?
Secretary for Food and Health: I would like to say that the plan for the Government, in 10 years' time, to expand the capacity of public hospitals by adding 5,000 beds is very important and significant. With the rapidly ageing population, the pressure and the demand for public hospital services will be ever increasing. The plan will provide Hospital Authority with the certainty of future development of its public hospital facilities. It will also enable individual professional staff to better plan their future career. Hopefully, some of our professional staff will be able to feel the certainty of public hospital development and their own career development, and thereby more willing to stay in the public sector to serve the public. Regarding human resources, it is also very important. Please note that the Government has in the past two or three years embarked on a long-term manpower planning for the healthcare professionals and the report will come out in the middle of this year. Even before that, according to the findings of the report, the Government has already proposed to add a number of degree places to various important healthcare professions.
Reporter: But would you consider attracting medical staff from elsewhere?
Secretary for Food and Health: Yes, as I mentioned earlier on that the Hong Kong Medical Council is also working with the Government on this. Firstly, it has, in the past two years, increased the frequency of licensing examination from once to twice a year. The passing rate of the licensing examination is also improving. The Medical Council has also resolved to exempt the candidates who have passed the licensing examination of their own specialty in the area of internship requirement for up to half a year. Hopefully, all these measures will also help facilitate the return of some of our local students who have studied medicine aboard.
Reporter: Some doctors are thinking about going to strike over the proposed reform of the Medical Council.
Secretary for Food and Health: So, you are talking about the proposed reform of the Medical Council. I would like to point out that the Government plans to introduce the Bill to the Legislative Council in March or April this year. After the introduction of the Bill, the Legislative Council will certainly establish a Bills Committee to examine the proposed legislation. At that stage, I think that representatives of the medical profession will be able to voice the opinion of the medical profession as well as to make any proposed amendments to the Bill. There would be plenty of opportunities for the medical professionals to express their views. The Government and the Legislative Council will certainly carefully listen and consider all these voices and opinions.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)
Ends/Monday, January 18, 2016
Issued at HKT 10:51
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