Hospital Authority Defends Hiring Non-Local Nurses, Says Local Recruitment Remains Priority
SingTao · 2 SOURCESabout 3 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
The Hospital Authority held its board meeting on September 24, 2026, addressing public concerns about its nursing recruitment practices. Chairman Fan Hung-lam emphasized that the HA prioritizes locally trained medical staff, with non-local hires filling only specialized gaps. The authority reported significant improvements in staff retention, with net gains of 275 doctors and 742 nurses over the past 12 months, while still maintaining around 3,000 nursing vacancies.
Key Points
- The HA board meeting took place on September 24, 2026, with Chairman Fan Hung-lam addressing media afterward regarding nursing recruitment concerns
- Of approximately 30,000 long-serving nurses, only 55 are non-locally trained, with 29 from mainland China and the remainder from various countries worldwide
- The HA currently has about 3,000 nursing vacancies and intends to continue prioritizing local hiring
- Medical staff attrition rates have declined: doctor turnover fell from 4.6% to 4.4%, and nurse turnover decreased from 6.6% to 5.4% year-on-year
- Over the past 12 months, the HA hired 689 doctors (net gain of 275) and 2,441 nurses (net gain of 742)
Why It Matters
This clarification comes amid growing anxiety among local nursing graduates who fear competition from non-local hires, particularly after the HA was permitted to recruit from outside Hong Kong following severe staffing shortfalls that peaked at 10.9% attrition in 2022/23 . The authority's commitment to local-first hiring while maintaining flexibility for specialized recruitment may help restore confidence in public healthcare career pathways .
This clarification comes amid growing anxiety among local nursing graduates who fear competition from non-local hires, particularly after the HA was permitted to recruit from outside Hong Kong following severe staffing shortfalls that peaked at 10.9% attrition in 2022/23 . The authority's commitment to local-first hiring while maintaining flexibility for specialized recruitment may help restore confidence in public healthcare career pathways .