Obstetricians leaving Hong Kong public hospitals for private sector in droves, with 1 in 10 making switch last year alone

(SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST)

Theexoduscameasdemandformaternityserviceshasrisensteadilyoverthepastfiveyears.Photo:SamTsang

Publichospitalshaveseenanunusuallylargeexodusofobstetricians,especiallyseniorones,inthepasttwoyearsdespitegrowingdemandformaternityservices,HospitalAuthoritydatashows.

Lastyear’sturnoverrateforobstetricianswasmorethan10percent–morethandoublethegeneralturnoverrateof4.4percentofdoctorsinpublichospitals.

Seniormedicalofficersandassociateconsultantsleftingreaternumbersthanlowergrades.FromDecember2014toNovember30lastyear,14.3percentofthosedoctorsleft.Theyear2014-2015sawadramaticriseofexodusforobstetricians,whospecialiseinpregnancyandbirth.Thatyear17percentleftthesector,upfrom1.9percentinthepreviousyear.

Andwhiletheturnoverrateofresidentdoctorswas8.8percentlastyear,thatfigurehasdrasticallysoaredfrom0.8percentin2011-2012.

DrCheungTak-hong,chiefofobstetricsandgynaecologyatPrinceofWalesHospital,saidthelossofpublicdoctorsin2014/2015wasduetoanincreaseofjobvacanciesinprivatehospitals.

“Thereisalwaysnegativeimpact[topublichospital].Theproblemwon’tbesolvedevenifyougivemetwonewdoctors,”saidCheung.

Theexoduscameasdemandformaternityserviceshasrisensteadilyoverthepastfiveyears.Thenumberofpatientsattendingantenatalspecialistoutpatientservicesreachedover335,000in2014-2015,upfromaround319,000in2011-2012.

Thenumberofpatientsattendinggynaecologyinpatientandoutpatientservicesalsogrew.

Buttherehavebeenfewerdoctorsgoingintopublicsectorobstetricsandgynaecologyinthepublicsector.Whiletherewere21recruitedin2011-12,thatnumberdroppedto14inthelastfiscalyear.

“Therearefewerpeoplebuttheservicecouldnotbereduced...thequalityofservicemightbeaffected,”Cheungsaid,addingthattimegiventoeachpatientmightbeless.

Anotherpublicsectorobstetrician,whodeclinedtobenamed,saidpatientsmighthavetowaitlongerfortreatment.

Hesaid:“Theworkingenvironmenthasnotchangedmuchforus...butpatientsfornon-urgentservicesmighthavetowaitlonger.”

Thepublicsectorrelieson189full-timeobstetricians.Lastyear,eachonaveragehandled207deliveriesand3,319patientsinoutpatientservices.Theauthoritytriedtosolvetheshortagebyrecruitingpart-timedoctors.BytheendofNovember,344part-timedoctors,including25ingynaecology,wereworkingindifferentspecialitiesinpublichospitals.