For discussion EC(95-96)71
on 17 January 1996

ITEM FOR ESTABLISHMENT SUBCOMMITTEE
OF FINANCE COMMITTEE

HEAD 61 - HOSPITAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT
Subhead 001 Salaries

Members are invited to recommend to Finance Committee -

  1. the creation of the following permanent post with effect from 1 April 1996 -

    1 Senior Principal Executive Officer
    (D2) ($95,550 - $101,450); and

  2. the retention of the following supernumerary post to be held against a permanent post of Senior Principal Executive Officer (D2) ($95,550 - $101,450) for the period from 1 April 1996 to 9 June 1996 to accommodate the incumbent on an ad personam basis until she leaves the service on 10 June 1996 -

    1 Administrator, Hospital Services Department
    (D4) ($126,100 - $129,950)

PROBLEM

The Secretary for Health and Welfare (SHW) needs to provide an Administrator at the appropriate level to continue to head the Hospital Services Department (HSD).

PROPOSAL

2. SHW proposes to down-grade the present supernumerary post of Administrator, Hospital Services Department (A/HSD) (D4), which will lapse on 1 April 1996, to D2 level and make it a permanent post of Senior Principal Executive Officer (SPEO) (D2). Subject to Members’ approval of the creation of the SPEO post, SHW also proposes to retain the supernumerary post of A/HSD (D4) to be held against the permanent SPEO post for the period from 1 April 1996 to 9 June 1996 to accommodate the incumbent on an ad personam basis until she leaves the service upon retirement on 10 June 1996.

JUSTIFICATION

3. When the Hospital Authority (HA) took over the management and control of all public hospitals on 1 December 1991, HSD was reorganised to take charge of the personnel management of civil servants working in HA. Civil servants in HA were then given three years to opt for transfer to HA terms of employment. On expiry of the option period on 1 December 1994, some 8 500 of them chose to remain as civil servants. As at November 1995, there were still 7 500 civil servants in HA. A substantial number of them (about 4 000) are experienced staff below the age of 45 who will make a significant impact on the quality of hospital services within the next ten years. It is therefore vital for HSD to function as a parent department so as to continue to provide these staff with proper motivation as well as a sense of belonging in the light of management reforms, new initiatives and personnel practices introduced by HA. To this end, A/HSD serves as a point of contact and facilitates an effective dialogue between the staff side and the HA Head Office as well as the 29 public hospitals. Thus, while the completion of the transfer exercise and the reduction in the number of civil servants remaining in HA have brought about a change in the work nature of HSD, the role of the department has not significantly diminished.

4. To facilitate the smooth operation of hospital services in a mixed staff situation, A/HSD has to liaise closely with a variety of staff representatives and 40 staff associations/unions and maintain regular contact with HA and its principal officers as well as the Hospital Chief Executives. He also advises HA on management issues and personnel problems relating to the management of civil servants working in HA. He must also ensure that civil servants in HA have adequate channel to express their views and that their legitimate interests under the personnel policies and procedures adopted by HA are well protected. Having reviewed the prevailing job portfolio of A/HSD, SHW proposes to down-grade

the post from D4 to D2 and make it a permanent post of SPEO (D2) to be underpinned by a Chief Executive Officer (MPS 45-49). In proposing a permanent SPEO post, SHW has given due regard to the need for A/HSD to have the necessary experience, maturity and seniority to oversee the personnel management of civil servants working in HA and resolve problems with HA on personnel policies and matters which affect the civil servants, so as to ensure that they will continue to make a full and effective contribution to HA’s services. A job description of the proposed SPEO post is at Enclosure 1. An organisation chart of HSD is at Enclosure 2.

5. We consider that the incumbent of the existing A/HSD (D4) post, who is on permanent and pensionable establishment, should retain her present salary until she leaves the service upon retirement on 10 June 1996. This is in line with the established practice in the Civil Service that any re-ranking of posts would not affect the incumbents. Subject to Members’ approval of the creation of the permanent SPEO post on 1 April 1996, SHW proposes to retain the existing supernumerary post of A/HSD for the period from 1 April 1996 to 9 June 1996, to be held against the SPEO post, in order to accommodate the incumbent until she leaves the service on 10 June 1996.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

6. The notional annual mid-point salary cost of this proposal is -

$ No. of Post

New permanent post

1,182,600

1

7. If Members approve the proposal, we shall include the necessary provision in the 1996-97 draft Estimates.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

8. Upon the take-over of management of public hospitals by HA, we reorganised HSD to carry out the following personnel management functions -

  1. advising HA on administrative, manpower and other matters which may have a bearing on the working conditions and morale of civil servants in HA and on how their legitimate interests should be protected;
  2. operating the civil service consultative machinery;
  3. operating the shadow post scheme;
  4. handling complaints from civil servants working in HA;
  5. maintaining personnel records of civil servants working in HA;
  6. instituting disciplinary action and processing conduct-related applications;
  7. processing retirement/resignation papers of civil servants and staff opting for HA terms of employment who are eligible for benefits under the frozen pension and mixed service pension options; and
  8. advising and instructing civil servants to comply with HA’s operational requirements through the issue of departmental circulars.

9. Members approved the creation of a supernumerary post of Administrative Officer Staff Grade B1 (D4) and a supernumerary post of SPEO(D2) with effect from 1 December 1991 to serve as the Administrator and Deputy Administrator of the reorganised HSD (FCR(91-92)103). Subsequently in January 1994, Members approved the creation of a supernumerary departmental post of A/HSD (D4) from 1 April 1994 for one year and the corresponding deletion of a Chief Executive Officer (MPS 45 - 49) post, as well as the downgrading of the supernumerary SPEO post to Principal Executive Officer (D1) on 1 December 1994 (EC(93-94)66). In January 1995, Members approved the retention of these two supernumerary posts for one further year up to and including 31 March 1996 (EC(94-95)57).

CIVIL SERVICE BRANCH COMMENTS

10. The grading and ranking of the proposed SPEO post are considered appropriate having regard to its duties and responsibilities.

RECOMMENDATION OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON DIRECTORATE SALARIES AND CONDITIONS OF SERVICE

11. The Standing Committee on Directorate Salaries and Conditions of Service has advised that the grading proposed for the post would be appropriate if the post were to be created.

Health and Welfare Branch
January 1996

Enclosure 1 to EC(95-96)71

Job Description Administrator, Hospital Services Department (Senior Principal Executive Officer (D2))

As head of the Hospital Services Department, the Administrator is accountable to the Secretary for Health and Welfare and is responsible for -

  1. overseeing the personnel administration of civil servants working in the Hospital Authority (HA), including the operation of the shadow promotion scheme and the institution of disciplinary action.
  2. safeguarding the legitimate interests of civil servants working in HA, including measure to implement equal promotion and training opportunities; handling complex staff complaint cases, etc.
  3. advising HA on administrative, manpower and other matters which may have a bearing on the working conditions and morale of civil servants working in HA.
  4. liaising with individual hospitals and staff associations to promote good staff relations for the efficient delivery of hospital services.
  5. overseeing the operation of a staff consultative machinery for civil servants working in HA and chairing the Departmental Consultative Committee.
  6. overseeing the financial control of the department's expenditure and the effective use of resources.

Last Updated on 3 December 1998