Secretary for Health Prof Lo Chung-mau met Hospital Authority board members and executives today, listening to their views on various healthcare-related policy initiatives in the Chief Executive's 2022 Policy Address.

Permanent Secretary for Health Thomas Chan and Under Secretary for Health Dr Libby Lee also attended the meeting.

The Policy Address covers eight policy areas related to healthcare policy initiatives, including primary healthcare, public hospital services, healthcare manpower supply, development of Chinese medicine, mental health, tobacco control, healthcare co-operation with the Mainland as well as prevention and control of the COVID-19 epidemic.

Prof Lo said the Policy Address mentions that the Government will revamp the healthcare system, aiming to shift the emphasis of the healthcare system from its current treatment-oriented, hospital-based structure to a prevention-focused, community-based system.

The Health Bureau just released the Primary Healthcare Blueprint on December 19. The blueprint focuses on rolling out a series of reform measures to prevent the overburdening of specialist services at public hospitals and build a sustainable healthcare system.

“At the same time, we will also work hand in hand with the Hospital Authority to improve the quality and efficiency of public medical services, including further management of the waiting time for specialist out-patient clinics by adopting a multi-pronged approach, improve patient experience, and strengthen medical infrastructure, etc.

“In order to ensure that sufficient healthcare manpower is available to deliver various healthcare services to members of the public, we will also increase the supply of manpower and strengthen the training for healthcare professionals.”

Prof Lo thanked the authority's board members for their continuous support to the policies of the bureau as well as their valuable advice and establishment of key performance indicators in relation to the healthcare-related policy initiatives in the Policy Address.