********************************
Following is the transcript of remarks made by the Secretary for Food and Health, Dr Ko Wing-man, after attending a public function today (October 19):
Reporter: (About the salary structure of Hospital Authority (HA) staff.)
Secretary for Food and Health: I am very concerned about the opinions expressed by the doctors of public hospitals. It is true that in various stages since the establishment of the Hospital Authority, the salary framework of our staff in the HA has undergone certain changes. At the present moment, the government policy is that the HA is not required to peg its salary structure to that of the civil service. However, I consider that it is necessary for the HA Board to consider its own mechanism. A suitable and appropriate salary review mechanism would ensure that the salary structure of the HA staff could take into consideration the very important factor of its being able to retain suitable professional staff to serve the public.
Reporter: (About the protest by HA doctors.)
Secretary for Food and Health: I understand that the doctors of public hospitals would stage a sit-in on Wednesday. I trust that our healthcare workers including doctors while expressing their concerns would not allow their actions to affect public services.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)
Ends/Monday, October 19, 2015
Issued at HKT 15:16
NNNN