**********************************************************
The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
The Hospital Authority (HA) announces that a basket of measures to address the concern of frontline doctors workload and career development has been presented to the Doctors Staff Group Consultative Committee this evening at a meeting joined by Council Members of the Hong Kong Public Doctors Association and Frontline Doctors Union.
The measures put before the group for discussion includes promotion for experienced doctors with good performance and a special allowance scheme for additional workload.
"We fully appreciate the dedication and commitment of frontline doctors in serving the public," said HA Chairman Mr Anthony Wu.
"We have made every effort in the past few weeks to collect views from frontline colleagues to come up with these measures to retain our staff and to improve their working condition and environment."
"We hope consensus can be reached shortly so that the new measures can be implemented as soon as possible to address the extra workload and career prospects of frontline doctors," said HA Chief Executive Dr Leung Pak-yin.
"There are a number of immediate measures to relieve the workload and improve the working condition of doctors. We will recruit more part-time doctors, have special call arrangement for pregnant staff and provide more 24-hour phlebotomist services to give imminent relief to pressure areas." Dr Leung pointed out.
"Furthermore, as an encouragement for frontline doctors in their unceasing quest for knowledge for professional excellence and well-being of patients, we will reinforce the examination leave arrangement in addition to providing full reimbursement of specialist examination fees."
Other broad-spectrum measures will also be made to address staff concerns towards posting and workload distribution, which include enhancing the transparency of posting resident trainees at various hospital clusters and specialties, incorporating staff feedback in the appraisal of management staff, as well as reprioritising projects which require extra clinical manpower.
Mr Wu and Dr Leung appeal to the doctors for their support to the proposed measures. A Steering Committee on Medical Workforce Review will also be established to assess doctors' workload and advise on allocation of doctors.
Subject to the approval of the HA Board and policy formulation, these measures are estimated to cost an additional annual budget in the order of HK$200 million.
Ends/Friday, March 18, 2011
Issued at HKT 23:34
NNNN
