CONFIDENTIAL
XCC(91142
Comparison with the staffing arrangements for the Hospital Authority
24
The Hospital Authority (HA) is due to take over all public hospital services on 1 December 1991. Letters inviting staff of Hospital Services Department and Department of Health to transfer to HA employment and to exercise their transfer option were issued on 12 September 1991. Staff have three years commencing from 1 December 1991 to exercise their transfer option. The bridging-over arrangements approved by Members for these staff do not contain provision for retirement on abolition of office because -
(a)
HA's terms and conditions of service are considered sufficiently attractive;
(b)
the full cost of providing for retirement on abolition of office terms is prohibitive; and
(c)
as staff may choose to remain as civil servants and continue to receive their present terms and conditions of service, there is no requirement for any offices to be abolished.
However, during staff consultation, staff have repeatedly expressed dissatisfaction about the transfer arrangements and argued that abolition of office terms should be offered as one of the transfer options. On learning of the proposed arrangements for RTHK staff, the medical staff might feel aggrieved and resurrect their demand. Since the option period would not have expired when details of the RTHK arrangements are made public, with well over 25 000 staff in Government hospitals, supported by another 13 000 staff from the subvented hospitals, their case may generate public interest and sympathy.
Executive Council