Replies to LegCo questions
LCQ8: Utilisation of health care services by non-eligible persons
Following is a question by the Hon Andrew Cheng and a written reply by the
Secretary for Food and Health, Dr York Chow, in the Legislative Council today
(March 5):
Question:
Will the Government inform this Council whether:
(a) it knows, in the past three years, the respective numbers of non-residents
of Hong Kong using the in-patient services of the private hospitals and public
hospitals in Hong Kong as well as their total bed-days; whether it has assessed
if the use of the medical services in Hong Kong by such people has affected the
demand for health care manpower in both the private and public sectors in Hong
Kong and the use of such services (including the waiting time and charges) by
Hong Kong residents; if it has, of the detailed figures concerned; and whether
it will consider commissioning academic institutions to conduct an in-depth
study and assessment on the issue; and
(b) it has assessed the trend in the use of medical services in Hong Kong by
non-residents of Hong Kong in the next five years and its impact on the demand
for health care manpower, and whether it will therefore be necessary to train
more health care personnel?
Reply:
Madam President,
(a) and (b) The number of discharges and deaths of Non-Eligible Persons (NEPs)
in-patients and day patients and the number of bed-days utilised by NEPs in
public hospitals, as well as the number of admissions and bed-days for
in-patient services utilised by non-Hong Kong residents in some private
hospitals in the past three years are set out in the Annex I.
Our public health care system is established primarily for the benefits of Hong
Kong residents. At present, eligibility for heavily subsidised health care
services is restricted to holders of Hong Kong Identity Card or children under
11 years of age who are Hong Kong residents. NEPs who wish to use public health
care services are required to pay charges applicable to NEPs. In each of the
past three years (i.e. 2004/05, 2005/06 and 2006/07), the total number of
bed-days utilised by NEPs in public hospitals only accounts for about 0.6% of
the total number of bed-days utilised by all patients.
Among the bed-days utilised by NEPs in public hospitals, about two-third of them
were for obstetric services. On utlisation of public obstetric services by NEPs,
HA has implemented new obstetric services arrangements for NEPs since February
1, 2007. The new arrangements include the setting up of a booking system in
public hospitals for the use of obstetric services and the increase of the
obstetric service package charge for NEPs. HA has also strengthened the manpower
and facilities for obstetric services in public hospitals. Since the
implementation of the new arrangements, for the period from February to December
2007, the number of deliveries by non-local women in public hospitals has
dropped by 29.4% when compared with the same period in 2006; whereas the number
of deliveries by local women in public hospitals has increased by 8.6% with
reference to the same period. The statistics indicate that the new arrangements
can effectively ensure that local pregnant women will be given priority in
receiving services in public hospitals and have limited the number of births by
non-local women in Hong Kong to a level that can be supported by our health care
system.
Private hospitals serve both Hong Kong residents and non-Hong Kong residents and
they provide services mainly according to market demand and supply. In general,
private hospitals will provide services to Hong Kong residents and non-Hong Kong
residents on a first-come-first-served basis. According to the information
provided by some private hospitals, in the past three years, the vast majority
of in-patient services of private hospitals are utilised by Hong Kong residents.
As regards the manpower demand on health care manpower, the Government has all
along closely monitored the trend of supply and demand for health care
professionals and conducted corresponding manpower planning to maintain the
quality of health care services and facilitate the healthy development of our
health care system. We will make projections on the future manpower demand on a
regular basis in the light of changes in demographic profiles, service demand
and medical technologies as well as development of our health care system, etc.
The Government will from time to time collect information on manpower demand
from various government departments or organisations, including the Department
of Health, the Hospital Authority, the Social Welfare Department and private
hospitals, for assessment of the future demand for health care personnel and
formulation of corresponding planning.
Ends/Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Issued at HKT 12:36
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