Hongkongers to start preregistration at public dental clinics at 8pm instead of 12am from July: health chief
- Health minister Lo Chung-mau also says people will not have to line up for tickets in future as digital ticketing and registration system is in the works
- ‘After citizens have completed their preliminary registration, they only have to return to the clinic 30 minutes before the opening hours of the general public sessions begin,’ he adds
Hong Kong residents will be able to preregister for dental consultations at public clinics at 8pm rather than 12am starting from July, health authorities have said, as part of efforts to prevent late-night queues amid severe service shortages.
Secretary for Health Lo Chung-mau also said on Tuesday people would not have to line up for tickets in the future as a digital ticketing and registration system was in the works.
Last month, the Audit Commission found that patients arrived as early as 5pm at four clinics in December 2023 and February this year and waited around seven hours for the registration to begin to secure an appointment for the next day.
At a public hearing of the legislature’s Public Accounts Committee, Lo said the quota of government-run dental clinics in 2022-23 had significantly dropped amid manpower shortages and the coronavirus pandemic.
But as the shortage worsened and service procedures were updated, authorities were unable to increase the quota after the pandemic, he added.
