Elderly Health Centres to Merge Into District Network on Oct 5, Doubling Service Capacity
AM730 · 1 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
The Primary Healthcare Office under the Health Bureau announced on Monday that Elderly Health Centres under the Department of Health will be progressively integrated into the district health network starting October 5. The first phase will consolidate nine centres across Hong Kong, with the remaining nine to be completed by 2027-28. Service points will expand dramatically from 18 to over 100, covering all 18 districts through District Health Centres, District Health Station Express outlets, and designated Family Medicine clinics under the Hospital Authority. Annual service capacity will double from approximately 54,000 to over 120,000 elderly patients.
Key Points
- Nine Elderly Health Centres will be integrated in the first phase on October 5: North District, Yuen Long, Tuen Mun Wu Hong, Tsuen Wan, Kwai Shing, San Po Kong, Yau Ma Tei, Shau Kei Wan, and Aberdeen
- Elderly patients with existing appointments at the first-phase centres can continue their scheduled visits; District Health Centres will coordinate follow-up care after appointments conclude
- Free registration as a District Health Centre member allows direct entry to the Chronic Disease Co-care Programme, where patients select their own community family doctor
- Health assessments will expand from cognitive, mobility, and visual screening to also include nutrition, hearing, psychological, and urological evaluations
- Elderly currently attending both Elderly Health Centres and Hospital Authority Family Medicine clinics will have their care transferred entirely to Family Medicine clinics
Why It Matters
This restructuring shifts elderly healthcare from a centralised, hospital-based model to a community-focused primary care network, making preventive services more accessible across all districts. The expansion of health assessment categories to include mental health and urological screening addresses previously unmet needs in Hong Kong's aging population, potentially reducing pressure on acute hospital services as more conditions are caught and managed earlier in the community .
This restructuring shifts elderly healthcare from a centralised, hospital-based model to a community-focused primary care network, making preventive services more accessible across all districts. The expansion of health assessment categories to include mental health and urological screening addresses previously unmet needs in Hong Kong's aging population, potentially reducing pressure on acute hospital services as more conditions are caught and managed earlier in the community .