Measures to curb non-eligible people (NEP) abusing public hospital obstetric services will be ready by the end of this year, the Health, Welfare & Food Bureau says.

The measures under consideration are tightening the requirement for NEP pregnant women to pay an admission deposit; strengthening billing procedures by demanding all fees be paid before discharge, and examining the need to raise hospital charges for NEP pregnant women.

Public hospitals will provide local expectant mothers with obstetric services under all circumstances.

To ensure rational allocation of social resources and reduce the use of heavily subsidised medical services in public hospitals by NEPs, an obstetric package charge of $20,000 for NEPs was introduced in September last year. From January to September this year, the number of NEP pregnant women who gave birth in public hospitals in Hong Kong dropped 20% from a year earlier, to 8,388.

Hospitals handled 28,830 child birth cases in the January-September period, 4% lower than the same time last year.

In light of pressing demand for obstetric services, measures have been taken to relieve the work pressure of frontline healthcare staff.