The Government stated today that public healthcare institutions have consistently prioritised the employment of locally trained personnel when recruiting healthcare professionals. The statement was issued in response to public discussions regarding nursing manpower planning in Hong Kong, adding that such discussions should be grounded objective facts and data to foster consensus.
Although the nurse attrition rate within the Hospital Authority has dropped from a peak of 10.9% to 5.4%, approximately 3,200 vacancies remain unfilled with recruitment ongoing. In 2025, around 3,500 of the 4,000 prospective nursing graduates qualified as Registered Nurses (RNs) or Enrolled Nurses (ENs), with about 60% applying for positions within the authority.
These figures demonstrate that graduates diversify into various sectors, including private healthcare institutions, elderly services and rehabilitation, community nursing, insurance and health management. Notably, approximately 99% of applicants who completed the interview or assessment process for RN posts within the authority received an offer of appointment.
As of the end of 2025, over 30,000 of Hong Kong’s 75,000 RNs and ENs were employed within the public healthcare system, representing roughly 40% of the total workforce. Given that nursing practice spans hospitals, primary care, community and elderly services, rehabilitation and other health service sectors, the Government noted that manpower supply and demand must be assessed holistically across the entire market.
Furthermore, approximately 99.8% of RNs serving in the authority are locally trained, confirming that local professionals remain the backbone of public healthcare. The Government affirmed it will continue to promote regional healthcare collaboration and professional exchanges while strictly safeguarding employment priority for locally trained professionals.
Plans are also underway to strengthen manpower training for primary healthcare and advance professional systems to enhance service quality and maximise the professional functions of nurses. Addressing broader roles, the Government stressed that the Health & Care Practitioner (HCP) rank is a dedicated welfare-sector role that should not be confused with ENs due to distinct scopes of practice.
Acknowledging broader recruitment pressures, the Health Bureau noted that private hospitals face similar shortages, with one facility reporting 40 vacancies but receiving only 25 applications over the past year. In response to an ageing population, the Government reiterated its commitment to driving cross-sectoral collaboration and manpower planning based on service needs and manpower data to ensure that healthcare and nursing services in Hong Kong can continue to meet the needs of society.
The Government hopes that all sectors of the community will exchange views on healthcare manpower development and professional training based on facts and data, and work together to foster the sustainable development of the city’s healthcare system.