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The shortage of healthcare workers in Hong Kong has always outstripped supply, and the shortage of public healthcare manpower has also caused fatigue on frontline healthcare workers and affected morale in the long run. Over the years, the Government has been able to meet the demand through training and increasing the number of university places, but far water cannot put out the immediate fire, and in the past, the promotion of overseas doctors to practise in Hong Kong has also encountered opposition from the industry and achieved half the results.
In the 2022 Policy Address, the Chief Executive once again proposed to explore different options, including opening up new avenues to introduce qualified non-locally trained doctors and nurses. In recent years, with the relaxation of the list of overseas and Mainland medical schools to work in the HA without examination, there has been an increase in the number of medical professionals introduced from the GBA and the number of doctors returning from overseas. As for the manpower problems faced by nurses, the Government also proposes to amend the Nurses Registration Ordinance to open up new avenues for qualified non-locally trained nurses, irrespective of whether they are Hong Kong permanent residents or not, to come to work in Hong Kong. It is also ready to be passed by the Legislative Council in the near future.
The Bill mainly focuses on the creation of a "limited" registration and registration route to introduce non-locally trained nurses to work in places such as residential care homes for the elderly and residential care homes for persons with disabilities specified by the Government. However, these nurses have to pass an examination from the College of Nursing before they can transition to becoming a fully registered or enrolled nurse.
On the other hand, there is the creation of a "special" registration or registration route to introduce non-locally trained nurses to work in different clinical settings in clinics and hospitals under the Department of Health or the Hospital Authority. If they have been employed full-time for a certain period of time and have been confirmed by their employer to have performed satisfactorily and competently in accordance with the criteria set by the Nursing Council of Hong Kong, they may be eligible to transition to "full" registration or enrolled nurses without the need to sit for the licensing examination. The employment period of both categories of nurses should not exceed three years.
The most important premise is that the professional standards of doctors and nurses must be maintained in the introduction of non-locally trained healthcare professionals, and the Nursing Council of Hong Kong, as the regulatory body for the nursing profession, is required to strictly follow these conditions in vetting applications to ensure that applicants meet the professional standards. It is also necessary to work with the Hospital Authority and the Department of Health to provide relevant on-the-job training for these non-Hong Kong healthcare workers and to understand their needs so that they can integrate into effective members as soon as possible. Of course, while increasing manpower, the Government must employ people on the basis of merit, and at the same time ensure the jobs, training and promotion opportunities of locally trained healthcare professionals. Enhance the training of local nurses. Employers such as the Hospital Authority, the Department of Health and the social welfare sector have also hired local talent before considering non-local talent, so as to reduce demoralisation-damaging behaviour among staff.
Text: Dr. Pang Chiu Fai/PhD