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The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
Regarding the judgment of the Court of Final Appeal today (October 20) on doctors' work hours, the spokesman for the Hospital Authority (HA) issued the following statement:
The HA noted and respected the judgment of the Court of Final Appeal. We will study the court deliberation in detail before formulating the next course of follow up measures to ensure the well being of our frontline doctors while maintaining the quality and service level of public hospitals.
To address the issues of doctors' work load, extended work hours and working environment, the HA has implemented a series of improvement measures in a number of pilot hospitals since November 2007 under the Steering Committee on Doctor Work Reform, with the objectives to reduce the weekly work hours of doctors to not exceeding 65 and also to gradually reduce their continuous work hours to no more than 24 hours. The measures include the opening of extra weekday operating theatre sessions; establishment of Emergency Medicine wards; and introduction of 24-hour Technical Care Assistant service.
Looking ahead, we will also continue to work closely with the representatives of public hospital doctors in improving their work hours and working environment.
Ends/Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Issued at HKT 12:34
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