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Sammy Heung

The Hong Kong Hospital Authority’s surplus more than doubled in 2023-24 from the previous financial year, while chief executive Tony Ko Pat-sing’s pay increased by 4.8 per cent.
The authority’s annual report, published on Wednesday, showed gains from investments had jumped to HK$1.99 billion (US$256 million) from HK$789 million a year earlier.
Its surplus widened to HK$986 million, which was more than two times larger than the HK$478 million recorded in 2022-23.
But staff costs rose by almost HK$3 billion, or 5 per cent, to HK$62.4 billion.
The authority, which manages the city’s public hospitals, also released the latest information about the pay packets of its top five earners.
Ko was the highest paid at HK$6.87 million for the year ended March 31, 2024. The figure was 4.8 per cent higher than the HK$6.56 million he received in the previous year.
The geriatrician took up his current role in August 2019 upon the retirement of predecessor Leung Pak-yin.
Nelson Wat Ming-sun, the chief executive of Caritas Medical Centre, earned HK$5.74 million in 2023-24 and Theresa Li Tak-lai, the chief executive of hospitals in western Hong Kong Island, received HK$5.54 million.
Public hospitals have been in the spotlight amid a series of medical blunders and equipment failures in recent years, prompting the authority to set up a special committee in July to review performance.
The authority logged 26 “sentinel events” and 80 “serious untoward events” in 2023-24. These figures were higher than the 19 sentinel events and 78 serious untoward events in the previous year.
A sentinel event is defined as an “unexpected occurrence involving death or serious physical or psychological injury, or the risk thereof”.
A serious untoward event is defined as an “unexpected occurrence which could have led to death or permanent harm”.
Last month, the authority proposed holding senior managers at public hospitals accountable for medical blunders as part of wide-ranging reforms aimed at more clearly defining roles.

Chairman Henry Fan Hung-ling said senior managers who were involved in repeated blunders could have their pay frozen for a year, while staff who performed well and received praise from patients would get rewarded.
The authority reported income derived from hospital or clinic fees and charges also rose by 12 per cent to HK$5.87 billion in 2023-24 from HK$5.24 billion the year before.
Its expenditure on drugs also increased by 5.4 per cent to HK$13.1 billion, while that on medical supplies and equipment dropped by 14.8 per cent to HK$5.39 billion.
The statutory body’s financial performance has fluctuated in the past decade. It recorded a surplus of HK$1.38 billion in 2014-15 before experiencing deficits in 2016-17 and 2017-18.
A surplus of HK$3.76 billion was logged in 2019-20.
Between 2020 and 2023, when public hospitals felt the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, surpluses hovered at about HK$478 to HK$535 million.


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Hong Kong healthcare and hospitals

Public hospitals have been in the spotlight amid a series of medical blunders and equipment failures in recent years. Photo: Felix Wong

Hospital Authority chief executive Tony Ko saw his pay increase to HK$6.87 million. Photo: Jelly Tse

Hong Kong authorities to set up task force to look into hospital power disruption

Kwong Wah Hospital will conduct a comprehensive check on its power supply system. Photo: Warton Li

Kwong Wah Hospital apologised to the affected patients and said it had reported the incident to the authority’s head office. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Hong Kong Hospital Authority to welcome second batch of doctors, nurses from Guangdong province

The first batch of healthcare professionals – 10 doctors, 70 nurses and three Chinese medicine experts – from Guangdong province arrived in Hong Kong in April. Photo: Jelly Tse

Hospital Authority chairman Henry Fan delivers a speech to welcome participants of the Greater Bay Area Healthcare Talents Visiting Programmes in April. Photo: Jelly Tse

Hong Kong doctor granted bail after guilty plea over faking overtime to defraud Hospital Authority of HK$110,000

Dr Wong Man-ho, 34, has pleaded guilty to making false declarations about his overtime attendance records. Photo: Felix Wong

The defendant has been a resident doctor at Yan Chai Hospital since January 2017. Photo: K. Y. Cheng

Wong admitted to a single count of fraud at West Kowloon Court. Photo: Jelly Tse

News

Hong Kong

Health & Environment

Authority chief executive Tony Ko’s pay also increased by 4.8 per cent in 2023-24 amid rise in staff costs


Authority chief executive Tony Ko’s pay also increased by 4.8 per cent in 2023-24 amid rise in staff costs.


Hong Kong economy