Recommendations submitted to the HA Board on streamlining management processes

In March this year, the HA Board set up a Special Task Group (STG) to study how to streamline decision making process and enhance administrative efficiency. The STG is chaired by Professor John Leong Chi-yan, the HA Chairman and eight Board Members. In July this year, the STG met with three Staff Group Consultative Committees (SGCCs) to listen to staff’s views. Most views expressed are related to annual resources bidding and Coordinating Committee / Central Committee (COC / CC) operation and meetings. The STG also invite staff to submit further views through HASLink. After deliberation and taking into account staff’s views, the report submitted by the STG was approved by the Board in November. The management will explain the report details to SGCCs members later.

Resources bidding

• HA has kicked start discussion with the Government on the allocation and arrangements of the triennium funding cycle commencing 2021-22 to facilitate HA to formulate proactive plans and sustained initiatives.

• Head Office should timely provide the target additional budget together with manpower available for the following financial year to Clusters / COCs / CCs. Administrative support should be provided or enhanced, and the overall planning cycle shortened with a view to reducing the administrative work of frontline staff.

Meeting arrangements

The STG reckons that policy formulation and implementation in HA involves input from the clinical specialties, and meetings are arranged to deliberate on strategy and policy discussions, as well as inter-departmental coordination of service development and service models. Yet, the STG considers that the management should streamline the involvement of clinical staff in the management processes at the Head Office and Cluster levels, and optimise their participation in the work of COC / CCs.

• Directors should play an active role in steering and managing the work of COC / CCs to expedite the decision making process.

• To enhance communication with frontline by strengthening communication platforms, enhancing the transparency of the work of COCs and effectively communicating relevant information to frontline after discussion.

• Directors / Heads / Cluster Chief Executives should regularly review the committee structure and operational need of the committees under their purview.

• Due regard should be given to operational need in clinical duties while involving the frontlines on administrative duties.

• During demand surge periods, the number of meetings should be minimised as far as practicable.