Dental Services to Merge with Hospital Authority Starting February 2026, Ensuring Continuity in Patient Care

Integration of Hospital Dental Service of Department of Health into Hospital Authority

​The Department of Health (DH) and the Hospital Authority (HA) today (December 15) announced that the Hospital Dental Service (HDS) currently provided by the DH will be integrated with the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (OMS) Service under the HA from February 6, 2026, and the service will be taken up by the HA.

As outlined in "The Chief Executive's 2024 Policy Address", a comprehensive review of the positioning and objectives of the healthcare system is under way, involving reforms of the functions and division of responsibilities among the HA, the DH and the Primary Healthcare Commission (PHC Commission). The DH will focus on its public health functions and executing its regulatory and enforcement roles. To implement this policy direction, the clinical services of the DH are being gradually integrated with either the HA or the PHC Commission.

Following the earlier transfer of the DH's Clinical Genetic Service to the HA, the DH's HDS will be managed by the HA startingFebruary 6next year. In fact, the seven Oral Maxillofacial Surgery and Dental Clinics (OMS&DCs) under the DH's HDS are all located within the following HA public hospitals, primarily providing specialist oral maxillofacial surgery and dental treatment for hospital in-patients, patients with special oral healthcare needs, and dental emergencies:

• Queen Mary Hospital;

• Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital;

• Queen Elizabeth Hospital;

• Princess Margaret Hospital;

• Tuen Mun Hospital;

• Prince of Wales Hospital; and

• North District Hospital.

These clinics will continue to operate at the original sites and integrate with the existing OMS service in six public hospitals provided by the HA. This will help further streamline and optimise the overall service delivery.

To ensure continuity in patient care upon the transfer of service, all scheduled/follow-up appointment records for patients at the aforementioned seven OMS&DCs for dates on or afterFebruary 6, 2026, along with the cases and relevant medical records stored at these clinics, including clinical records, X-ray records, clinical photos, and dental casts, will be transferred to the HA. If patients/family members do not agree to have their cases and relevant medical records transferred to the HA, they should contact the DH by phone at3153 4044or by email (hds_enquiry@dh.gov.hk)on or beforeJanuary 16, 2026, to facilitate the necessary arrangements.

Patients who opt out of the arrangements should note that their follow-up appointments scheduled on or afterFebruary 6next year will be cancelled. Should they require future consultations at the HA's dental and OMS services, a new referral letter will be required for appointments, and new case consultation fees will be charged according to the HA's arrangements. Medical records that patients/family members refuse to transfer to the HA will be disposed of and destroyed by the DH in accordance with its record management policy after the service transfer. For enquiries about the arrangements, please contact the DH.

The Department of Health

The Hospital Authority, Photo by Bastille Post

Employers, contractors and employees should be aware of electrical safety at work during rainstorms

As the rainstorm warning has been issued by the Hong Kong Observatory, the Labour Department (LD) reminds employers and contractors that they should adopt necessary work arrangements and take suitable safety measures to protect the safety of their employees when they are carrying out electrical work or handling electrical plant.

A spokesman for the LD said today (March 3) that employers and contractors should avoid assigning employees to carry out electrical work (such as electric arc welding work) or handle electrical plant at places affected by rainstorms, and should refer to the "Code of Practice in Times of Adverse Weather and 'Extreme Conditions'" and the "Guide on Safety at Work in times of Inclement Weather" issued by the LD.

Even if electrical work is carried out or electrical plant is handled at places not affected by a rainstorm, suitable safety measures must still be adopted to prevent an electric shock as the air would be more humid. Such measures include:

(i) Ensure that all live parts of an electrical installation are isolated from the power supply source and rendered dead, and the isolation from the power supply source must be maintained as long as electrical work is being carried out;

(ii) Before carrying out any electrical work or handling any electrical plant, cut off and lock out the power supply source, then test the circuit concerned to confirm that it is dead and display suitable warning notices, and issue a work permit thereafter;

(iii) Ensure that protective devices (such as suitable and adequate fuses and circuit breakers) for the electrical installations or electrical plant have been installed and maintained in good working order, and portable electric tools must be double-insulated or properly earthed;

(iv) Provide suitable personal protective equipment such as insulating gloves and insulating mats for employees; and

(v) If live electrical work is unavoidable, a comprehensive risk assessment should be conducted by a competent person and the appropriate safety precautions should be taken to remove or properly control the electrical hazards involved before such work can proceed.

In addition, employees should co-operate with the employer or contractor to follow the safety instructions and use the safety equipment provided.

The LD has published guidebooks and leaflets on electrical work safety. These safety publications are available free from divisional offices of the department or can be downloaded from its website (www.labour.gov.hk/eng/public/content2_8.htm).

Should there be any questions about occupational safety and health matters, please contact the Occupational Safety Officer of the LD at 2559 2297.

Source: AI-found images