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The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
The Hospital Authority (HA) Chairman, Professor John Leong, welcomed the 2014-15 Budget announced by the Financial Secretary, Mr John C Tsang, today (February 26), especially the continual commitment of the Government in the budget allocation to enhance public health-care services.
"We thank the Government for increasing the recurrent subvention for the HA in 2014-15 from $45.5 billion to $47.2 billion, representing an increase of 3.7 per cent over the current year's," Professor Leong said.
The HA will strive to meet growing demand arising from population growth and ageing through the opening of 205 additional beds, particularly in high-needs communities like the Kowloon Central, Hong Kong East, New Territories East and New Territories West Clusters, alongside the phased introduction of services in North Lantau Hospital and improved facilities through the redevelopment of Yan Chai Hospital and Caritas Medical Centre.
"To address the manpower shortage in public hospitals and work pressure of front-line staff, we will continue to attract, motivate and retain health-care staff by improving their working conditions and environment, enhancing promotion opportunities and professional training," said Professor Leong, adding that 350 doctors, 1,970 nurses and 530 allied health professionals will be recruited in 2014-15.
Outlining other key service improvement programmes in the coming fiscal year, the HA Chief Executive, Dr Leung Pak-yin, said that with the increased financial provision, the HA will be able to enhance the provision of drugs to patients with psychosis, dementia and prostate cancer, and to augment the mental health services by further strengthening service provision in hospital, ambulatory and community settings.
To address the issue of long waiting time, Dr Leung said that the HA will continue to improve patients' access to accident and emergency service, general and specialist outpatient service, elective surgeries and radiological service as well as pharmacy service.
He remarked that the HA would continue to strengthen cardiac services by providing 24-hour thrombolytic service to improve acute stroke management in more hospitals, and enhancing haemodialysis service for patients with end-stage renal disease.
Ends/Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Issued at HKT 18:08
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