For discussion
on 13 September 1999

Purpose

This paper informs Members of the projected health care manpower requirements for the coming five years in the Hospital Authority (HA) and the Department of Health (DH).

Health Care Manpower Requirements for HA

2. The manpower requirements of health care professionals in HA arise from two major elements - (a) new services/new beds planned to be commissioned; and (b) replenishment of staff turnover.

3. In making manpower projections for individual professions to meet the new service requirements, HA will make reference to the following major parameters -

1. the number and type of beds to be opened over the projection period based on the bed opening programme as agreed between Government and HA;
   
   
2. the benchmark information on manpower for the outputs anticipated from the facilities commissioned (the latest actual statistics on activity and staff levels in the past three years is provided at Annex I).

4. In projecting the manpower requirements for replenishing staff turnover, HA will take into consideration the latest turnover rates of different professions, analyzed in relation to the market trend. In 1998-99, the wastage rate for doctors, nurses and allied health staff is 3.4%, 3.8% and 3.0% respectively. The staff strength of health care professionals in HA for the past three years is provided at Annex II.

5. The projected manpower requirements of doctors, nurses and allied health professionals in HA for 1999-2000 to 2003-2004 are set out in Annex III.

6. It should be noted that the projected manpower requirements are for planning purposes only. In the context of the Enhanced Productivity Programme, HA is actively exploring opportunities to re-engineer service operations. As such, the overall manpower requirements will be subject to the impact of the productivity gain initiatives, the associated service review and the re-deployment of staff. The actual number of additional positions to be created will depend on funds available, the progress of re-engineering initiatives and the staff deployment programmes.

Health Care Manpower Requirements for DH

7. According to the Hong Kong Planning Standards and Guidelines, one public clinic or health centre is provided for every 100,000 population. The actual provision of clinic services would take into consideration various factors including the demographic characteristics, casemix, and service utilization.

8. For public health functions, manpower planning is based on functional requirement.

9. Manpower planning ratios are intended as a reference for forecasting future manpower requirements. The health care manpower planning ratio in the Department of Health is described in Annex IV.

10. Health care manpower requirement arises from wastage and posts created for new projects or service enhancement. The estimated requirement of the Department of Health in the coming five years is provided in Annex V.


Health and Welfare Bureau
September 1999

Annex I

Annex II

Annex III

Annex IV

Doctors
	Clinical Services	1 doctor providing 540 doctor sessions per year
	Public Health	Depends on functional requirement
Nurses		No. of Nurses per consultation room
	General Out-patient Clinic	1.7
	Social Hygiene	7.2
	Maternal & Child Health	5.5
	TB & Chest	6
	Family Planning	3
	Child Assessment Centre	1
	Comprehensive Observation Scheme	1:6000 screening per year
Forensic Pharmacist
	Inspection and Licensing	1:440 licences issued
	Pharmaceutical registration	1:450 pharmaceutical items submitted for registration
Dispensers
		1 per 1.2 consultation rooms
Physiotherapist
	Child Assessment Centre	1:1 Centre
	Elderly Health Centre	1:1 Centre
Occupational Therapist
	Child Assessment Centre	1:1 Centre
	Elderly Health Centre	1:1 Centre

Annex V

The above is subject to funding approval of the planned projects and has included vacancies arising from wastage.