Overseas doctors needed: York Chow

October 29, 2011

Secretary for Food & Health Dr York Chow says there is no reason to bar the Hospital Authority from employing overseas doctors for the Accident & Emergency departments.
 
Speaking to the media after attending a radio talk show today, Dr Chow said many private hospitals have been employing public hospital Accident & Emergency doctors in recent years for their 24-hour clinics.
 
“This is actually a positive move because this allows more expertise to be in the private hospitals but at the same time, it also ends up with shortage of doctors in the public sector,” Dr Chow said.
 
“That is the reason why I think the Hospital Authority needs to recruit certain numbers of such expertise in that department. The department is unlike other departments because they need to have people on duty 24 hours a day and seven days a week. Each shift will require a certain number of doctors.”