The Hospital Authority (HA) spokesman today (December 29) announced that the authority will continue to closely monitor the service demand in Accident & Emergency (A&E) Departments and for inpatients on the New Year holiday and the following days. Public hospitals have strengthened manpower to ascertain proper service provision. The HA has also enhanced holiday general out-patient clinic (GOPC) services, in order to cope with increasing service need from members of the public and to alleviate the service pressure on A&E Departments during the long holiday.

Increased activity in influenza and some respiratory pathogens has been observed recently. The HA anticipates that the service demand in public hospitals will continue to rise during the New Year holiday and the following days. The HA spokesman said, “The HA will closely monitor various statistics. Public hospitals have implemented various measures according to the preparedness plan, including opening temporary beds and mobilising hospital beds flexibly, and enhancing support for discharge procedures, etc, amid increasing manpower to alleviate the pressure of A&E and inpatient services.”

Eighteen GOPCs will provide public holiday GOPC services on the New Year holiday (January 1, 2024) (see Appendix). Patients may book an appointment either through the telephone appointment system or the "Book GOPC" function of the "HA Go" mobile app.

The spokesman urges non-urgent patients to avoid attending A&E Departments. They are advised to attend GOPCs, private doctors or the 24-hour clinics of private hospitals as far as practicable.  To choose a suitable family doctor and related clinic service, members of the public can browse the Primary Care Directory of the Health Bureau. 

Meanwhile, the HA also appeals to members of the public to get vaccinated early for seasonal influenza and COVID-19, especially high-risk groups, to reduce the chance of getting infected for themselves and their family members. Members of the public may find details at the Centre for Health Protection COVID-19 Vaccination Programme website and the Vaccination Schemes website.

The HA will continue to closely monitor the situation and flexibly deploy resources and manpower when necessary, and will keep increasing its service volume, in order to provide appropriate services for patients.