'Local nurses form core of public healthcare system'

Locally trained nurses form the core of Hong Kong's public healthcare system, with 99.8 percent of Hospital Authority (HA) caregivers being trained in the city, according to the government. In a statement, the HA said there are still about 3,200 job vacancies for nurses in public hospitals, despite 99 percent of applicants who completed the recruitment process being offered appointments.

A recent recruitment drive in June received around 3,000 applications, with 2,200 accepted. Chief manager of nursing Danny Tong clarified that the HA never intended to hire all nursing graduates in Hong Kong, as the supply of graduates serves the healthcare needs of the entire territory, including private hospitals and elderly care homes.

The government noted that not all nursing graduates historically applied for positions with the HA, attributing this to other opportunities available in society. A private hospital reported a shortage of nursing staff over the past year, receiving only 25 applications for 40 vacancies. The HA also clarified the newly created Health and Care Practitioner rank, stating that these practitioners are distinct from enrolled nurses due to different training objectives and scopes of practice.

The government emphasized its commitment to strengthening manpower training, particularly in primary healthcare, in response to the increasing demand for nursing services resulting from the city's ageing population.