Balancing act: Public hospital doctors' working hours will be cut to less than 65 hours a week to improve their working conditions.

Community pharmacies will be set up in four to five public hospitals in next year's first quarter to supply self-financed drug items to patients, Hospital Authority Director of Professional Services & Operations Dr Cheung Wai-lun says.

Speaking on a radio talk show, Dr Cheung said the scheme will be launched on a trial basis under three principles - quality assurance, patients' convenience and reasonable prices. The prices will be benchmarked against market prices and regular market surveys will be conducted to ensure the prices are set at an appropriate level.

Noting the authority's key role is to offer medical services, Dr Cheung stressed private-sector participation in operating community pharmacies is necessary. Tenders will be invited later this year. The scheme will be reviewed several months after the set-up of community pharmacies to see if it is worth expanding the scheme to other public hospitals.

Holiday claim

On the proposed $629 million compensation to settle public doctors' holiday claim, Dr Cheung said about 4,000 doctors must indicate whether they accept the offer by October 18. So far more than 1,000 doctors have replied, and almost all have indicated they will accept the offer. To enhance transparency and keep doctors' informed, the authority will make public the number of replies received daily on the five days before the deadline.

Dr Cheung anticipated the number of replies will rise in the coming two weeks, adding he is optimistic that most doctors will accept the offer. The authority will go ahead with the proposal if the majority of the doctors accept the offer - even if they don't reach an earlier target of 95% acceptance.

He urged doctors to join hands with the authority in improving working conditions, adding measures have been taken to tackle the problem, such as cutting doctors' working hours to less than 65 hours a week in three years and reviewing their promotion prospects.

About 1,000 doctors now must work more than 65 hours a week, 500 more than 70 hours, and 150 more than 75 hours. Dr Cheung said additional resources and re-organisation of working procedures are needed to reduce working hours without affecting service level.