Hospital Authority exchanges with patient groups on measures to enhance patient protection
The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
The Hospital Authority (HA) had an exchange with patient groups today (April 11), elaborating on the enhanced patient protection measures under the public healthcare fees and charges reform. Approximately 70 representatives from different patient groups attended the meeting in person and online. The atmosphere of the meeting was positive and both parties anticipated continuous communication, enabling better and more comprehensive patient protection.
The exchange highlighted the enhanced medical fee waiving mechanism, the new cap on spending for public healthcare services and the expansion of the safety net. These initiatives aim to allowing the patient groups to understand more deeply that their protection will be bolstered after the full implementation of the fees and charges reform. The Director (Strategy and Planning) of the HA, Dr Ching Wai-kuen, said in the meeting, "With the public healthcare fees and charges reform plan announced earlier, the HA anticipates enhanced medical protection to poor, acute, serious, critical patients, rationalised public hospital service subsidisation and reduced wastage and misuse. Thus, the sustainability of public healthcare system will be enhanced."
The Chief Manager (Allied Health) of the HA, Ms Priscilla Poon, who spoke in the meeting said, "We understand that chronic patients are concerned on the fees and charges reform. Representatives from patient groups could learn more about the details of the enhanced medical fee waiving mechanism through the exchange, including relaxing the income and asset limits, extending the scope of coverage for period waivers and refining the definition of households. No patients will be denied adequate medical care due to lack of means. In addition, the new cap on annual spending of $10,000 for public healthcare services (excluding self-financed drugs and medical devices) can provide extra protection for critically ill patients."
The Chairman of the Hong Kong Alliance of Patients' Organizations Limited, Mr Yuen Siu-lam,attended the meeting and said, "The meeting allowed us to clearly understand how the Government strengthened protection to patients in need under the new fees and charges arrangement. Measures including relaxing financial assessment criteria of the medical fee waiving mechanism and safety net, accelerating the introduction of more effective new medications and devices to the safety net and the introduction of the cap on annual spending of $10,000 for public healthcare services. These measures will ascertain that patients, especially those who are critically ill, will not be impoverished because of an increase in medical fees. This conveys an important message to chronic patients. We look forward to continuous communication with the HA."
The HA is formulating the details of the public healthcare fees and charges reform. The HA will continue to communicate with patient groups on various platform, while also to elaborate the content of the reform, including the implementation arrangements for the enhanced patient protection measures, through networks between hospitals and patients. Moreover, the HA will further deliberate the fees and charges reform implementation arrangement with patients through different publicity channels, including media, social media and other promotion materials. While the new arrangements and other enhancement measures related to the public healthcare fees and charges reform will take effect in January 2026, the current fee schedule and financial criteria for application of medical fee waiver would continue to adhere to existing standards. Details of implementation will be announced gradually by the end of this year. Patients can then proceed with relevant applications based on their individual needs. Public hospital staff will be available to assist patients to ensure smooth processing.
The HA will also maintain active communication with other stakeholders, including Legislative Council members and patient rights groups, to understand their concerns.
Hospital Authority exchanges with patient groups on measures to enhance patient protection Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Hospital Authority exchanges with patient groups on measures to enhance patient protection Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Hospital Authority exchanges with patient groups on measures to enhance patient protection Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
EDB reminds parents to choose primary schools under Central Allocation process for their children
The Education Bureau (EDB) today (January 12) reminded parents that children who have joined the Primary One Admission (POA) System for 2026 but have not yet secured a discretionary place can take part in the Central Allocation process for a Primary One (P1) place in a government or aided primary school. Parents concerned should make their choice of schools within the period from January 19 to 25.
Digitalisation of POA
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In line with the Smart Government strategy, the EDB has fully implemented digitalisation of the POA. Parents who have registered as POA e-Platform (ePOA) users and have bound their account to "iAM Smart+" may submit the Choice of Schools Form for Central Allocation from January 19 to 25 through the ePOA. Please refer to the related videos and Parent's Guide on the EDB's website (www.edb.gov.hk/en/edu-system/primary-secondary/spa-systems/primary-1-admission/poa_eplatform/index.html) for details of the procedures for activating and logging into an ePOA account and for making school choices for the Central Allocation of POA via the e-Platform.
Making school choices at Central Allocation Centres
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The EDB will send letters to parents on January 14 inviting them to make their choice of schools. To cater for the needs of different parents, parents can still submit the Choice of Schools Form in paper form by visiting the designated Central Allocation Centre at the suggested time slot (i.e. 9.30am to 12.30pm or 1.30pm to 4.30pm on January 24 (Saturday) or 9.30am to 12.30pm on January 25 (Sunday)) stated in the letter.
Parents who are ePOA users may choose to submit the Central Allocation Application via the ePOA or in paper form to the Central Allocation Centre but should not submit duplicate applications. Parents who have not yet received the letter by January 19 should call the School Places Allocation Section of the EDB (Hotline: 2832 7700) as soon as possible.
Only one parent of an applicant child is required to complete the school choice-making procedures. Parents are advised not to take their children to the Central Allocation Centre if possible. Parents who cannot make school choices within the suggested time slot can go to the designated Central Allocation Centre from 1.30pm to 4.30pm on January 25. The Choice of Schools Form will be sent together with the letter to parents who have submitted a paper Application Form at the Discretionary Places stage for filling out in advance.
In the event of adverse weather or other special conditions on any day during the period of making school choices, please pay heed to radio or television announcements on the relevant special arrangements.
Unable to submit application within specified choice-making period
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For individual parents who are unable to use the ePOA or go to the Central Allocation Centre to make school choices, they can authorise in writing a representative to bring the completed Choice of Schools Form and their signed Letter of Authorisation to the Central Allocation Centre to proceed with the related procedures.
To apply for POA 2026 for their children after January 25, parents need to complete necessary procedures with the School Places Allocation Section, which will separately arrange P1 places for the applicant children in June.
Change of residential address
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An EDB spokesman reminded parents that, if they have recently moved their residence or have such plans in the near future, they are required to inform the School Places Allocation Section as soon as possible so that they can make school choices in the POA School Net where their new home is located. Parents should fill in the actual residential address of their child. If they provide a false address for securing a P1 place, the POA application of their child will be rendered void and the P1 place allocated will be withdrawn.
The EDB has put in place a monitoring mechanism to verify the residential addresses of applicant children as given by the parents. Random checks have also been stepped up. The public may call the School Places Allocation Section to report suspected cases of using a false address by parents for their children's POA application. The EDB will take action against false address cases.
Mechanism of Central Allocation
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Central Allocation is composed of two parts. Part A, which takes up 10 per cent of the P1 places earmarked for Central Allocation, is for unrestricted school choices. Parents can choose up to three government or aided primary schools in any school net. Part B takes up the remaining 90 per cent of the P1 places earmarked for Central Allocation. Parents of applicant children residing in the school net concerned are to select schools from the "Choice of Schools List for Central Allocation (Primary One Admission 2026)" of their school net, while parents of applicant children who intend to commute daily to schools in Hong Kong are to select schools from the "2026 Choice of Schools List for Central Allocation (For Applicant Children who intend to commute daily to schools in Hong Kong)". Parents should fill in the Choice of Schools Form in the order of their preference.
The mechanism of the Central Allocation is based on parents' choices in general. The computer-programmed allocation will first process the school choices in Part A and then the school choices in Part B. For oversubscribed schools, the order of priority in allocating places will be determined by random numbers generated by the computer for individual applicants to ensure fairness.
For information about the procedures for Central Allocation, please call the EDB's 24-hour automatic telephone enquiry service at 2891 0088.
Release of Central Allocation results
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For parents who have already activated their ePOA account via "iAM Smart" or "iAM Smart+", they will receive their Central Allocation results through the ePOA from 10am on June 3. Parents who wish to receive the allocation results via SMS on June 3 may choose such an option in the Choice of Schools Form. In addition, the allocation results will be sent to parents by post on June 3 and 4.
Source: AI-found images
