HA clarifies survey on family medicine and primary healthcare consultations
The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
The Hospital Authority (HA) today (December 21) clarified regarding a survey conducted by the Society for Community Organization about family medicine and primary healthcare consultations. The HA noted that over 60 per cent of respondents were Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) recipients or Old Age Living Allowance (OALA) recipients, and the survey indicated that most respondents were concerned about the impact of public healthcare fees and charges reform on their willingness to seek medical consultation. The HA emphasises that the fees and charges reform will not affect the current approximately 600 000 individuals eligible for full fee waivers (including CSSA recipients, OALA recipients aged 75 or above, and Residential Care Service Voucher holders at co-payment Level 0). Their full fee waivers will automatically continue after the fees and charges reform implementation on January 1 next year. In fact, one of the key measures of the public healthcare fees and charges reform is to expand the current medical fee waiver mechanism, increasing the number of eligible beneficiaries outside these three social welfare schemes from the current 300 000 to 1.4 million people, which is 1.1 million people additional, bringing the total number of beneficiaries to nearly 2 million.
Family Medicine Clinics (FMCs) primarily serve two types of patients: chronic disease patients with stable conditions (such as diabetes) and patients with mild episodic illnesses (such as common cold). Chronic disease patients will be arranged follow-up appointments after consultation, requiring no self-booking. Patients with episodic illnesses can book appointments for morning, afternoon, or evening sessions within the next 24 hours through telephone or the "HA Go" application. The booking system operates round the clock and updates available slots in real time, including cancelled appointments.
As a safety net for vulnerable groups, the HA has repositioned FMCs according to the Government's Primary Healthcare Blueprint, focusing on providing comprehensive preventive services for low-income families and underprivileged elderly. Consultation duration is adjusted based on patients' clinical conditions. To cope with demand, the HA continues to increase quotas, with new clinics in North District and Tseung Kwan O South commencing services in 2024 and 2025. The number of clinics providing holiday services has increased to 15 in 2025, with plans to further increase quotas and explore extended service hours in 2026-27.
Additionally, the government launched the "Family Medicine Out-patient Priority Groups Pilot Scheme" in November 2025, covering specific groups including elderly aged 65 or above, CSSA recipients, and Working Family Allowance beneficiaries. Approximately 800 000 individuals can make priority booking for episodic illness consultation services.
The Hospital Authority, Photo source: reference image
