A steering committee has been formed to review and formulate recommendations addressing the long working hours of public hospital doctors. Executive Councillor Dr Leong Che-hung will head the group.

Healthcare experts from the UK and Australia have also been appointed - Director of Human Resources & Organisational Development of Fylde and Wyre Hospitals NHS Trust of Blackpool Andrew Foster and Chief Executive of Peninsula Health in Victoria Dr Sherene Devanesen.

Expert opinion: Dr Leong Che-hung, Andrew Foster and Dr Sherene Devanesen have been appointed to a steering committee on doctors' working hours.

Committee objective

The committee will reduce the excessive working hours of doctors with the first target not exceeding 65 hours a week within three years, and reducing excessive continuous working hours.

There will be two advisory sub-committees advising from the frontline and service delivery perspectives. They are the Doctors Staff Group Consultative Committee and the Cluster Administrative & Specialty Advisory Committee.

Planning to submit a report to the Hospital Authority's Chief Executive in nine months time, the committee will focus on:

* steering and developing strategy;

* analysing and identifying the best practice for doctors' work hours;

* advising how to achieve the 65-hour target and reduce excessive continuous working hours;

* reviewing feedback and advice from the two advisory committees; and,

* recommending an implementation plan.

Pilot schemes

According to the scheduled time frame, the recommendations, if endorsed, will be first implemented as a pilot phase in selected hospital clusters and specialty service units, then rolled out to all hospital clusters and specialties.

Dr Leong said the working hours issue has long been a subject of concern by both the public and staff.

"Any suggestions and proposals made by the committee will require wide consultation. In this aspect, I am glad to see the establishment of two advisory committees where frontline doctors can have their valuable input."