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Following is a question by the Hon Michael Mak Kwok-fung and a reply by the Acting Secretary for Health and Welfare, Mr Thomas Yiu, in the Legislative Council today (May 23):

Question:

It is learnt that, in order to achieve the targets of the Enhanced Productivity Programme and implement the hospital cluster system, the Hospital Authority has been deleting nursing posts in public hospitals gradually. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council whether it knows:

(a) the number of nursing posts deleted in each public hospital in the past three years, with a breakdown by rank, and the estimated numbers for this year and the coming year; and

(b) if the Hospital Authority has consulted comprehensively the staff of the nursing grade prior to the implementing plans to delete nursing posts; if it has, of the details, if it has not, the reasons for that?

Reply :

(a) To achieve the target savings under the Enhanced Productivity Programme (EPP), the Hospital Authority (HA) has been implementing various initiatives, including rationalization of hospital services, integrating and streamlining management and administrative functions, reengineering work processes and implementing energy conservation projects. The guiding principle for implementing these EPP initiatives is that under no circumstances should the quality of hospital services be compromised. The EPP notwithstanding, to enhance the quality of nursing care to patients, particularly at the front-line, the total number of qualified nurses in HA has increased from 16 644 in 1998-99 to 17 342 in 1999-2000, the first year of implementing EPP, and further to 18 249 in 2000-01. The number of qualified nurses in HA will further increase to 19 028 in 2001-02. On the other hand, arising from the upgrading of basic nursing education from hospital-based nursing education to degree level in tertiary institutions, there has been a reduction in number of nursing trainees since 1999, from 3 791 in March 1999 to 1 497 in March 2001. This change in staff mix, i.e. phasing out nurse trainees in HA, will not affect the quality of nursing care and in the long run will bring about further enhancement of quality health care services. A breakdown of the strength of nursing staff in HA in the past three years is at Appendix 1 (in DOC format).

Arising from streamlining of management functions as well as service rationalization and integration, there has been a reduction in the number of management positions within HA, including nursing management positions at both HA Head Office and hospital levels. And the extent of reduction in general management positions is higher than that of nursing management. The number of nursing management and senior general management positions in HA in the past three years are shown in Appendix 2 (in DOC format). HA will continue to identify further room to enhance its efficiency and productivity and there could be further reduction in the number of management positions in future years due to service rationalization and integration.

(b) As a general rule, HA's staffing requirements at hospital levels are determined by the planned service provision of the hospitals to meet the health care needs of the community, and the changes in patient care practice as well as service delivery model. In formulating a hospital's annual service plans and therefore its manpower requirements, hospital staff at departmental level will be involved in the planning process. Staff will also be consulted on significant changes in staffing positions.

End/Wednesday, May 23, 2001

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