Health Secretary Inspects Elderly Care Voucher Pilot Scheme Launch at Shenzhen Hospitals

2025-08-28 17:35 Last Updated At：18:23

Secretary for Health inspects first-day operational arrangements at pilot medical institutions under Elderly Health Care Voucher Greater Bay Area Pilot Scheme

The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, visited Peking University Shenzhen Hospital (PKUSZH) and Shenzhen Hospital of Southern Medical University (SHSMU) today (August 28) to inspect the operational arrangements on the first day of the service launch under the Elderly Health Care Voucher Greater Bay Area Pilot Scheme, as well as to receive briefings from the hospital staff on the treatment flow for Hong Kong elderly persons and to understand the latest services and facilities of the hospitals.

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Secretary for Health inspects first-day operational arrangements at pilot medical institutions under Elderly Health Care Voucher Greater Bay Area Pilot Scheme Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

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Secretary for Health inspects first-day operational arrangements at pilot medical institutions under Elderly Health Care Voucher Greater Bay Area Pilot Scheme Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Professor Lo also took the opportunity to engage with Hong Kong elderly persons attending the clinics and was pleased to learn that they welcomed the Pilot Scheme and applauded the smooth provision of services. The elderly persons expressed gratitude to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government for implementing the scheme and considered that the expansion to 21 service points in the Greater Bay Area (GBA) has greatly enhanced convenience, providing them with more medical treatment options and sparing them the burden of lengthy journeys.

Professor Lo said, "Following the service launch of the three pilot medical institutions today, the goal of extending the Pilot Scheme to nine Mainland cities in the GBA as announced in 'The Chief Executive's 2024 Policy Address' has been fully achieved. The nine cities are fully covered under the Pilot Scheme. In just two years, the number of service points for using Elderly Health Care Vouchers (EHCVs) in the GBA has expanded from the two service points operated by the University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital to tenfold with a total of 21 service points (see Annex). Additionally, the coverage has expanded from being applicable only in Shenzhen to full coverage of nine Mainland cities in the GBA. The Pilot Scheme marks a significant milestone for policy innovation and healthcare collaboration between the two places, fully demonstrating the Guangdong and Hong Kong governments' commitment and dedication to cross-boundary medical collaboration.

"I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude once again to the Health Commission of Guangdong Province and the health authorities of various cities for their strong support and assistance with the Pilot Scheme, benefitting more than 1.78 million eligible Hong Kong elderly persons. At the same time, I extend my sincere appreciation to the 19 pilot medical institutions under the Pilot Scheme for their wholehearted commitment and meticulous arrangements in providing high-quality healthcare services to Hong Kong elderly persons."

He emphasised, "The HKSAR Government will stay committed to fulfilling the important role of safeguarding the well-being of Hong Kong citizens by continuing to provide them with quality healthcare services and will not shift the responsibility of taking care of Hong Kong citizens' well-being to the Mainland healthcare system. The Pilot Scheme aims to offer elderly persons greater choices in using their EHCVs according to their individual circumstances. We will continue to assess and monitor the operation and usage of EHCVs in the pilot medical institutions and review the effectiveness of the Pilot Scheme in due course. Under the principle of complementarity and mutual benefits, we will continue to promote healthcare collaboration in different cities of the country to jointly build a 'Healthy Bay Area' and advance the strategy of 'Healthy China'."

PKUSZH is a modern comprehensive Tier III Class A public hospital, which is invested in and established by the Shenzhen Municipal Government and assigned to integrate medical services, scientific research and teaching. It is also a high-level hospital of Guangdong Province and a designated medical institution under the measure of using Hong Kong-registered drugs and medical devices used in Hong Kong public hospitals in the GBA (Measure).

SHSMU is a municipal-level comprehensive Tier III Class A public hospital jointly established by the Shenzhen Municipal Government and Southern Medical University. It also stands as the sole university-affiliated hospital within the Qianhai Free Trade Zone undertaking concurrent missions in healthcare provision, teaching and scientific research and is a designated medical institution under the Measure.

Deputy Secretary for Health Mr Eddie Lee; the Senior Advisor (Secretary for Health's Office), Dr Joe Fan; and officials of the Department of Health also participated in the visit.

Six illegal workers and an employer arrested in Hong Kong's anti-illegal worker operation Contribute.

Seven persons arrested during anti-illegal worker operation

The Immigration Department (ImmD) mounted an anti-illegal worker operation codenamed "Contribute" today (January 15).During the operation, ImmD Task Force officers raided premises under renovation in a newly built public housing estate in Sheung Shui district.A total of six suspected illegal workers and one suspected employer were arrested. Thearrested suspected illegal workers comprise six men, aged 22 to 41. Furthermore, one man, aged 45, suspected of employing the illegal workers, was also arrested. An investigation into the suspected employers is ongoing, and the possibility of further arrests is not ruled out.

Apart from mounting the enforcement operation, ImmD officers and a promotional vehicle have been deployed to distribute "Don't Employ Illegal Workers" leaflets and convey the message in the estate.

An ImmD spokesman said, "Any person who contravenes a condition of stay in force in respect of him or her shall be guilty of an offence. Also, visitors are not allowed to take employment in Hong Kong, whether paid or unpaid, without the permission of the Director of Immigration. Offenders are liable to prosecution and upon conviction face a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to two years' imprisonment. Aiders and abettors are also liable to prosecution and penalties."

The spokesman stressed that it is a serious offence to employ people who are not lawfully employable. Under the Immigration Ordinance, the maximum penalty for an employer employing a person who is not lawfully employable, i.e. an illegal immigrant, a person who is the subject of a removal order or a deportation order, an overstayer or a person who was refused permission to land, has been significantly increased from a fine of $350,000 and three years' imprisonment to a fine of $500,000 and 10 years' imprisonment to reflect the gravity of such offences. The director, manager, secretary, partner, etc, of the company concerned may also bear criminal liability. The High Court has laid down sentencing guidelines that the employer of an illegal worker should be given an immediate custodial sentence.

According to the court sentencing, employers must take all practicable steps to determine whether a person is lawfully employable prior to employment. Apart from inspecting a prospective employee's identity card, the employer has the explicit duty to make enquiries regarding the person and ensure that the answers would not cast any reasonable doubt concerning the lawful employability of the person. The court will not accept failure to do so as a defence in proceedings. It is also an offence if an employer fails to inspect the job seeker's valid travel document if the job seeker does not have a Hong Kong permanent identity card. Offenders are liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of $150,000 and to imprisonment for one year. In that connection, the spokesman would like to remind all employers not to defy the law by employing illegal workers. The ImmD will continue to take resolute enforcement action to combat such offences.

Under the existing mechanism, the ImmD will, as a standard procedure, conduct an initial screening of vulnerable persons, including illegal workers, illegal immigrants, sex workers and foreign domestic helpers, who are arrested during any operation with a view to ascertaining whether they are trafficking in persons (TIP) and/or forced labour victims. When any TIP and/or forced labour indicator is revealed in the initial screening, the ImmD officers will conduct a full debriefing and identification by using a standardised checklist to ascertain the presence of TIP and/or forced labour elements. Identified TIP and/or forced labour victims will be provided with various forms of support and assistance, including urgent intervention, medical services, counselling, shelter or temporary accommodation and other supporting services. The ImmD calls on TIP and/or forced labour victims to report crimes to the relevant departments immediately.

For reporting illegal employment activities, please call the dedicated hotline 3861 5000, by fax at 2824 1166, email to anti_crime@immd.gov.hk, or submit "Online Reporting of Immigration Offences" form at www.immd.gov.hk.

Health Secretary Inspects Elderly Care Voucher Pilot Scheme Launch at Shenzhen Hospitals

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