The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The Hospital Authority (HA) announced today (December 19) that public hospitals will activate service demand surge special measures starting Sunday (December 21). The HA anticipates increased service demand at public hospitals during the Christmas and New Year holidays and will closely monitor hospital operations.

     The HA Chief Manager (Cluster Performance), Dr Larry Lee, said, "Public hospitals will implement special measures to cope with increasing service demand for Accident and Emergency Departments (A&Es) and inpatient services, including enhanced manpower, bed capacity, and laboratory testing services for influenza and other viruses. Hospital command centres will co-ordinate discharge procedures and support arrangements for admissions, discharges and transfers to ensure that patients receive timely and appropriate treatment and that beds are available for new admissions. Also, public hospitals will reduce medical elective admissions after long holidays and open extra sessions for fractured hip surgeries during long holidays as and when necessary. Meanwhile, Community Geriatric Assessment Teams will strengthen support for residential care homes for the elderly, such as increasing visits, to reduce pressure on A&E attendance and unnecessary hospitalisation."

     The HA will implement special refund arrangements in the A&Es during the service demand surge period to provide stable patients with flexibility in choosing alternative medical care. While waiting for medical consultation at A&Es, patients who wish to seek treatment at other healthcare institutions can raise a refund request for the A&E charges directly from staff on duty at the registration counter. "HA Go" members may also submit refund applications through the HA mobile app "HA Go". This arrangement applies only to patients who have not been attended to by doctors, and applications must be made within 24 hours of registration. Eligible applicants will receive the refund in approximately one month by cheque by mail, credit card or electronic wallet. The special refund arrangements will be implemented until December 31, which will be replaced by the A&E refund arrangement under the Public Healthcare Fees and Charges Reform on January 1, 2026.

     Family Medicine Outpatient Services have been enhanced in order to cope with the service needs from members of the public and to alleviate the service pressure on A&Es during the Christmas long holidays. A total of 18 Family Medicine Clinics (FMCs) will provide public holiday FMC services during the Christmas holidays (December 25 and 26) (see table below). Patients may book an appointment either through the telephone appointment system or the "Book FMC" function of the "HA Go" mobile app.

     The Chinese Medicine Clinics cum Training and Research Centres (CMCTRs) located in the 18 districts will also enhance government-subsidised Chinese medicine outpatient services on December 24, 27 and 29 to meet public demand. Patients may make an appointment either by telephone during service hours or through the "18 CM Clinics" mobile app (applicable to patients who have registered for 18 CMCTRs service). Please refer to the latest information on Chinese medicine services on the HA CMK website (cmk.ha.org.hk/christmas-2025).

     The HA urges non-emergency patients to avoid using A&E services and instead seek treatment at FMCs, private doctors or 24-hour outpatient services at private hospitals to reduce pressure on public hospital A&Es. Members of the public can visit the Health Bureau (HHB)'s Primary Care Directory (www.pcdirectory.gov.hk). The HHB has also collated information of private hospitals, healthcare facilities, family doctors and Chinese medicine clinics that will be in operation during the 2025 Christmas and 2026 New Year holidays across the city. The information (including addresses, phone numbers and operation hours) of the relevant hospitals and clinics have been uploaded to the online portal (www.map.gov.hk/gm/s/hhbclinic/all?lg=en) for public reference in collaboration with the Spatial Data Office of the Development Bureau and the Lands Department.

     As Hong Kong is currently in the influenza season, the HA reminds the public to maintain personal and environmental hygiene during the holidays to prevent disease transmission. People with respiratory symptoms should wear masks and seek medical attention promptly. Eligible persons, particularly those in high-risk groups, should get vaccinated early for seasonal influenza and COVID-19 to reduce the chance of infection for themselves and their family members, as well as to reduce the risk of critical illness and death after infection.

Family Medicine Outpatient Services arrangements during the Christmas holidays (December 25 and 26)
 

Region	List of FMCs	Address	General Enquiry	Telephone Booking
Hong Kong Island	Aberdeen Jockey Club Family Medicine Clinic	10 Aberdeen Reservoir Road, Aberdeen	2555 0381	3543 5011
	Shau Kei Wan Jockey Club Family Medicine Clinic	1/F, 8 Chai Wan Road, Shau Kei Wan	2560 0211	3157 0077
	Wan Chai Violet Peel Family Medicine Clinic	LG/F, Tang Shiu Kin Hospital Community Ambulatory Care Centre, 282 Queen’s Road East, Wan Chai	3553 3116	3157 0000
	# Kennedy Town Jockey Club Family Medicine Clinic	45 Victoria Road, Kennedy Town	2817 3215	3543 5088
Kowloon	Kwun Tong Family Medicine Integrated Centre	UG/F, 60 Hip Wo Street, Kwun Tong	2389 0331	3157 0687
	Nam Cheong Family Medicine Clinic	G/F, Treasury Building, 3 Tonkin Street West, Cheung Sha Wan	3742 3876	3543 5795
	Our Lady of Maryknoll Hospital Family Medicine Clinic	G/F, Out-patient Block, Our Lady of Maryknoll Hospital, 118 Shatin Pass Road, Wong Tai Sin	2354 2267	3157 0118
	San Po Kong Robert Black Family Medicine Clinic	600 Prince Edward Road East, San Po Kong	2383 3311	3157 0113
	Yau Ma Tei Jockey Club Family Medicine Clinic	1/F, 145 Battery Street, Yau Ma Tei	2272 2400	3157 0880
New  Territories	Lek Yuen Family Medicine Clinic	G/F, 9 Lek Yuen Street, Sha Tin	2692 8730	3157 0972
	North District Family Medicine Integrated Centre	3/F, North District Community Health Centre Building, 3 Wai Wo Street, Sheung Shui	2957 5186	3157 0965
	Tai Po Jockey Club Family Medicine Clinic	G/F, 37 Ting Kok Road, Tai Po	2664 2039	3157 0906
	Tseung Kwan O (Po Ning Road) Family Medicine Clinic	G/F, 28 Po Ning Road, Tseung Kwan O	2191 1083	3157 0660
	Tsuen Wan Lady Trench Family Medicine Clinic	213 Sha Tsui Road, Tsuen Wan	2614 4789	3157 0107
	Tuen Mun Family Medicine Clinic	11 Tsing Yin Street, San Hui, Tuen Mun	2452 9111	3543 0886
	Yuen Long Jockey Club Family Medicine Clinic	269 Castle Peak Road (Yuen Long), Yuen Long	2443 8511	3543 5007
	# Ha Kwai Chung Family Medicine Clinic	77 Lai Cho Road, Kwai Chung	3651 5411	3157 0100
	^ North Lantau Family Medicine Integrated Centre (North Lantau Hospital)	3/F, North Lantau Hospital, 8 Chung Yan Road, Tung Chung, Lantau Island	3467 7374	3157 0106

^ Will provide clinic services on December 25
# Will provide clinic services on December 26

Service hours: 9am to 1pm and 2pm to 5pm

Ends/Friday, December 19, 2025
Issued at HKT 16:00

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