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Hospital Authority
The Hospital Authority is the statutory body that runs Hong Kong's public hospitals.
Summary
- A statutory body is one set up by law, here the Hospital Authority Ordinance. The Hospital Authority was set up in 1990 and has managed the public hospitals since December 1991.
- Three public bodies share the work.
- The Health Bureau is the government department led by the Secretary for Health, who formulates overall health policies and oversees the Hospital Authority.
- The Department of Health advises the Government and runs services that promote health and prevent disease. It also regulates private clinics.
- The Hospital Authority runs the public hospitals and its own outpatient clinics, including family medicine and specialist clinics.
- In 2024/25 it recorded about 2.02 million visits to Accident and Emergency. As at 31 March 2025 it had more than 90,000 staff and more than 30,000 beds.
Interview questions
- How is the Hospital Authority different from the NHS?
- Why might a city keep health policy and the running of hospitals in separate bodies?
- What problems might arise when one body runs nearly all of a city's public hospitals?
Sources
- Hospital Authorityha.org.hk/…/abtus_intro-en_8.htm
- Health Bureau, Hong Konghealthbureau.gov.hk/…/index.html
- Department of Health, Hong Kongdh.gov.hk/…/aboutus_md.html
- Department of Health, Hong Kongdh.gov.hk/…/orphf.html
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