Antenatal service of DH's Maternal and Child Health Centres to be integrated into Hospital Authority in phases
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The Chief Executive's 2024 Policy Address proposed a comprehensive reform of the healthcare system, under which the Government will conduct a comprehensive review of the positioning and objectives of the healthcare system, and reform the functions and division of work among the HA, the DH and the Primary Healthcare Commission (PHCC). The DH will continue to perform its public health functions, and regulatory and enforcement roles. Meanwhile, clinical services will be gradually integrated into the HA or the PHCC according to the plan.
Currently, antenatal services in the public sector are jointly provided by the HA's obstetrics department and the DH's MCHCs through the antenatal shared-care programme. Under this programme, antenatal services for high-risk pregnant women are provided by the HA's obstetric department, while related services for women with low-risk pregnancies are jointly provided by the obstetrics department of hospitals under the HA and MCHCs.
The service integration will be implemented in two phases. The first phase will commence on July 6 this year and involves the integration of antenatal services from 15 MCHCs into nine public hospitals, namely Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital, Queen Mary Hospital, Tsan Yuk Hospital, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, United Christian Hospital, Princess Margaret Hospital, North Lantau Hospital, Tseung Kwan O Hospital and Tuen Mun Hospital. The second phase will be implemented next year (2027) and will involve Prince of Wales Hospital and three MCHCs. The exact date and related arrangements will be announced in due course. The list of MCHCs and public hospitals involved in the two phases is set out in the annex.
After the service integration, the obstetrics department of the HA will provide one-stop antenatal services to all pregnant women planning to give birth in public hospitals. In the first phase, starting from July 6, 2026, all new case service, that is the first antenatal visit, will be provided by the HA's obstetrics department. Expectant mothers may schedule appointments through established procedures, such as submitting an application for a new case appointment with the obstetrics department via the "BookHA" feature (booking services for Specialist Out-patient Clinics) of the "HA Go" mobile application, or submitting an application in person.
Expectant mothers who have already booked antenatal services at an MCHC for July or later simply need to attend their next appointment at the originally scheduled MCHC at the appointed time. Staff at the MCHC will explain future service arrangements in detail, including specifics regarding subsequent antenatal service at public hospitals. The DH will collaborate closely with the HA to arrange and co-ordinate the appointment process, ensuring a seamless transition of services.
The integration is one of the measures to optimise service management and follow-up arrangements. The existing antenatal service, fee arrangements and target service groups will remain unchanged. Pregnant women will continue to receive regular antenatal check-ups, blood tests, screenings and vaccinations. They will also receive health education on pregnancy, breastfeeding, and infant and young child feeding.
Additionally, after the service integration, time slots previously allocated for antenatal services at the MCHCs will be reallocated to other maternal and child health services, including child health and postnatal services, to promote maternal and child health.
Pregnant women currently under the antenatal shared-care programme who have any enquiries regarding the arrangements for antenatal service may contact the MCHC or public hospital providing services to them, or visit the DH's website or the HA's website.
Ends/Friday, July 3, 2026
Issued at HKT 11:00
Issued at HKT 11:00
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