Month: October 2025

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     Following is the speech by the Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC, at “Session 1: How Structural Reform can contribute to Building a Sustainable Tomorrow: Connect, Innovate, Prosper” of the 2025 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Structural Reform Ministerial Meeting in Incheon, Korea, today (October 22):

     Thank you, Chair. Good afternoon, fellow ministers.

     As you may know, Hong Kong, China, as guaranteed by our Basic Law, is a free port with no tariffs or other non-tariff trade barriers; we safeguard free flow of capital and goods; we adopt a low tax policy; we practise a bilingual common law system with a judiciary enjoying the power of independent adjudication including that of final adjudication. These features, considered as a whole, enable Hong Kong, China to offer an open, fair and transparent business and investment environment. That said, we will spare no effort to continue to consider and implement structural reforms, which are deemed necessary.

     I shall focus on the three keywords of this session, namely, connect, innovate and prosper. Our journey towards sustained prosperity in the long run calls for “enhancing connectivity” and “fostering innovation”.

     Enhancing connectivity is crucial, especially amidst geopolitical challenges. Hong Kong, China stands firm in supporting a rule-based international economic order. We have assisted in the establishment of the International Organization for Mediation, which was formally opened two days ago with its headquarters located in Hong Kong, China. We are eager to build stronger ties with other economies and organisations. For example, we are working closely with key international organisations like the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), the International Institute for the Unification of Private Law (UNIDROIT) and the Hague Conference on Private International Law. This December, we will host the UNCITRAL Judicial Summit during Hong Kong Legal Week 2025 to discuss legal issues concerning digitalisation. We are also seeking to establish a regional liaison office of UNIDROIT in Hong Kong, China.

     Turning to innovation, Hong Kong, China is committed to fostering an innovative landscape that promotes the use of modern technology on the one hand while ensuring that it will not be misused or abused on the other hand. For example, we will introduce a new law next year for digitalisation of trade documents based on the UNCITRAL Model Law on Electronic Transferable Records; and we will study how to establish a legal regime that will support and regulate the wider application of artificial intelligence in different areas. 

     Ladies and gentlemen, the pathway to a sustainable tomorrow lies in connectivity and innovation – which has also been emphasised in the Strengthened and Enhanced APEC Agenda for Structural Reform for our next phase of structural reform. Together, let us connect, innovate and prosper, with a view to transforming challenges into opportunities for APEC and beyond. Thank you.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     Following is a question by the Hon Ma Fung-kwok and a reply by the Secretary for the Civil Service, Mrs Ingrid Yeung, in the Legislative Council today (October 22):

Question:

     There have been public comments that the recent incidents of oversights in government procurement reflect that officials, including Administrative Officers (AOs), merely follow established procedures in performing their duties, and lack knowledge and training in commercial practices. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the number of local training programmes organised for AO grade staff by the Civil Service College (CSC) annually since its establishment, as well as the content category, and the numbers of hours and participants for each of the programmes;

(2) of the numbers of Mainland and overseas training programmes, thematic visits and exchange activities arranged for AO grade staff by the CSC in each of the past three years, as well as the numbers of hours and participants for each of the programmes or activities; and

(3) as it is learnt that the Government has previously organised a secondment scheme jointly with the business sector to enable AOs to understand actual commercial operations, whether the current Mainland training programmes for AO grade staff include exchanges or placements in departments related to economy, finance and commerce under the Central Government, large state-owned or private enterprises, local authorities, etc., with a view to enhancing their understanding of the Mainland’s economic and commercial operations, as well as local administrative practices?

Reply:

President,

     The Administrative Service is a cadre of multi-skilled professional administrators who play a key role in the formulation, implementation and review of public policies. The Government attaches great importance to the training and professional development of Administrative Officers (AO), with a view to continuously enhancing their knowledge and capabilities, thereby ensuring that the Administrative Service remains well-equipped to effectively discharge its leadership responsibilities across different posts.

     My consolidated reply to various parts of the question is as follows:

     Training of civil servants is provided by the Civil Service College (CSC) and the respective departments and grades to which they belong. The CSC offers general competency training for civil servants at various levels, while individual departments and grades deliver specialised knowledge and professional skills training tailored to their specific needs. This arrangement also applies to the Administrative Service, whose training is jointly managed by the CSC and the Administrative Service Division of the Civil Service Bureau (CSB). To avoid redundancy, I will not specify the division responsible for individual training programmes and the CSB shall be referred to collectively in the following reply.

     The CSB has formulated a training and development framework tailored to the needs of AOs at different ranks, enabling them to receive structured training locally, on the Mainland and overseas. In terms of local training, more than 5 800 attendances were recorded with a cumulative total of over 3 400 training days over the past three years (2023 to 2025). Programmes for probationary AOs and Senior AOs cover a wide range of topics, including national studies, country’s foreign affairs and international relations, political systems, legal and judicial systems, etc. There are also courses on practical topics such as public administration and financial management to consolidate officers’ foundational knowledge in areas such as public finance, government financial position, and the approval procedures for capital works projects, etc. The Civil Service Learning Management Portal also provides learning materials on day-to-day operations of civil servants, including procurement procedures, for reference by all government officers.

     Regarding the educational opportunities offered by local higher education institutions, the CSB also offers sponsorship to AOs who wish to pursue continuous education to enroll in part-time postgraduate studies in fields relevant to their work. Over the past three years, a total of 36 sponsorships were granted for colleagues to pursue master’s programmes in the discipline of business administration, political economy, and public policy, etc.

     For Mainland training, programmes for AOs at different ranks include those conducted by the National Academy of Governance, as well as national studies programmes conducted by Mainland institutions (e.g. Tsinghua University and Peking University), usually lasting from six to 12 days. In addition, individual policy bureaux or departments may organise their own training programmes on national affairs or Mainland-related topics for senior civil servants including AOs. Over the past three years, more than 200 attendances by AOs were recorded for the aforementioned programmes. The CSB has also arranged for senior civil servants with potential for advancement to pursue the two-year Master’s Degree in Public Policy Programme offered by Peking University, and has provided full sponsorship for senior officers to enrol in the part-time Executive Master of Public Administration Programme for the Project of Hong Kong Public Administrative Talents, Tsinghua University. In the past three years, a total of six AOs were arranged to attend these two programmes. These Mainland training programmes cover not only thematic lectures on national affairs, but also include field visits to Mainland government authorities and public organisations (such as the Beijing Municipal Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and the China State Railway Group) as well as local enterprises. These visits allow AOs to develop a well-rounded grasp of the latest developments and operational practices across various sectors on the Mainland, and to enhance their knowledge of the modus operandi of government authorities and businesses on the Mainland, such that they may draw on these experiences as insights that can be flexibly applied across their respective roles.

     Moreover, the CSB commenced a civil service staff exchange programme with the Mainland cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area in December 2023, and another exchange programme with five Mainland cities, namely Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing, Wuhan and Hangzhou in December 2024. These programmes enable civil servants from both sides to attach to each other’s side, thereby deepening mutual understanding of the respective structure, regulations, policies and operations. Among the 20 participating civil servants of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), two AOs were attached to government units in key development zones of the Mainland such as Futian and Qianhai in Shenzhen. The attachment provided them with the opportunity to closely observe and take part in practical aspects of local governance, including policy implementation, project coordination, investment attraction, and enterprise support. The experience strengthened their policy acumen and practical capabilities with market sensitivity, serving as a valuable reference for future policy formulation and execution. Under these programmes, 30 Mainland civil servants have also been attached to policy bureaux and departments of the HKSAR Government. Some of these exchange officers have worked alongside AOs, and the professional and informal exchanges during the attachment period have enhanced AOs’ understanding of the social development and civil service operations on the Mainland.

     As for overseas training, the CSB has resumed overseas development programmes for AOs in an orderly manner after the pandemic. Since 2024, a total of 50 AOs on completion of probation have been arranged to attend eight-week training programmes at Sciences Po in Paris and the London School of Economics and Political Science. In parallel, the CSB has also sponsored directorate AOs to pursue short-term executive development courses (typically ranging from one to several weeks) or one-year master’s degree programmes at overseas institutions. These programmes cover areas such as international political economy, public policy, and financial and business management, effectively broadening AOs’ perspectives to international public policy and practical governance.

     Beyond the training framework, we have a longstanding practice of seconding AOs to various international organisations. Current arrangements include the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, the Financial Action Task Force, and the Asian Development Bank. Moreover, with the support from the Central Government, Hong Kong took part in the United Nations (UN) Junior Professional Officer Programme for the first time in 2019, under which young civil servants including AOs have been sent to take up various positions at the UN offices as Chinese personnel. In the day-to-day work of the diverse roles within the Administrative Service, AOs are also frequently exposed to opportunities to handle public administration matters and engage with markets and the trade, thereby enabling them to continually consolidate their practical skills and knowledge.

     All in all, AOs may enhance and consolidate their knowledge and experience in public administration and various professional domains, including economics, finance, and commercial practices, through trainings and other professional development arrangements, such as regular internal postings and secondments to international organisations. The CSB would from time to time review the training and development needs of AOs and timely provide suitable opportunities to prepare them for the challenges in policy development and daily operations at the local, national, and international levels.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Continuing their Hong Kong trip, the Delegation of National Model Workers & Craftsmen today met secondary school students and members of the public. The delegates also toured Cyberport and Kai Tak Sports Park to learn about Hong Kong’s latest developments in various fields.

In the morning, the delegation, accompanied by Under Secretary for Education Sze Chun-fai, visited the Chinese Foundation Secondary School where they had a dialogue with students. Additionally, they toured the campus and attended a tree-planting ceremony.

In the company of Under Secretary for Innovation, Technology & Industry Lillian Cheong and Cyberport Management Company Chief Corporate Development Officer Georgina Chu, the delegates went to Cyberport and a related enterprise on campus to learn about the developments and achievements of the artificial intelligence industry in Hong Kong.

In the afternoon, joined by Commissioner for Sports George Tsoi and Director (Strategic Planning) of Kai Tak Sports Park Tang King-shing, the model workers and craftsmen toured Kai Tak Sports Park to understand the role of the park in promoting Hong Kong’s sports development and mega-event economy.

This evening, the delegation and Under Secretary for Home & Youth Affairs Clarence Leung met citizens and engaged in interactive exchanges at the Moreton Terrace Activities Centre.

After concluding their Hong Kong trip, the delegates will depart for a visit to Macau tomorrow morning.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Chief Executive John Lee and Electoral Affairs Commission Chairman David Lok will officiate at the 2025 Legislative Council General Election (LCGE) kick-off ceremony tomorrow at the Central Government Offices to mark the kick-off of the eighth LCGE.

Representatives from various sectors, including civil service groups, public corporations, business and industrial sectors, district organisations, ethnic minority groups, and tertiary institutions will attend the ceremony.

The ceremony will be held from 10.30am to 11am tomorrow. Media will be invited to cover the event.

The Information Services Department’s website, news.gov.hk’s Facebook page and the Constitutional & Mainland Affairs Bureau’s Facebook page will stream the ceremony online.

The eighth LCGE marks the second LCGE being held after improving the electoral system in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. It is of utmost importance for accelerating the development of Hong Kong’s economy and improving people’s livelihood.

The nomination period will run from October 24 to November 6 and polling will take place on December 7.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (October 22) recorded another severe paediatric influenza infection cases, the third this week. In light of the high level of school influenza outbreaks, the CHP wrote to all schools in Hong Kong again, urging them to implement preventive measures and manage influenza outbreaks according to the Guidelines on Prevention of Communicable Diseases. The CHP also called on the schools to complete the vaccination activities as soon as possible and will continue to proactively provide feasible assistance.

The severe case involves an 11-year-old girl with good past health. She has developed a fever, cough and sore throat since October 19. She attended the Accident and Emergency Department of Yan Chai Hospital on October 21 and was subsequently transferred to Princess Margaret Hospital for admission. She is currently in serious condition. Her nasopharyngeal swab specimen tested positive for the influenza A virus upon laboratory testing. The clinical diagnosis was influenza A infection complicated with severe pneumonia. The girl has not yet received the 2025/26 seasonal influenza vaccination (SIV). Her household contacts are currently asymptomatic. Recently, 10 other students from different classes at her school contracted influenza. All had mild symptoms and none required hospitalisation.

     “Hong Kong has entered the summer influenza season. As in the past, severe or death cases associated with influenza this season primarily affect the elderly and children. However, compared to the winter influenza season earlier this year, children have been particularly affected this season and there has been more severe paediatric influenza infection cases. Including today’s latest case, there have been 13 severe paediatric influenza cases since the start of the school year in September, including one fatal case. The affected children were between two and 17 years old, and 10 of them had good past health. A total of 602 school outbreaks have been reported since the start of the school year, including 64 cases in kindergartens/child care centres, 320 cases in primary schools and 218 cases in secondary schools. This number is far higher than the 88 cases recorded in the whole winter influenza season earlier this year,” the Controller of the CHP, Dr Edwin Tsui, said.

In addition to continuing to render full support to schools in arranging vaccination activities, the CHP sent another letter to schools today to remind them to strengthen prevention and control measures. These measures include using correct methods for cleaning and disinfecting campuses effectively, appropriately opening windows to improve ventilation in the campus, reminding teachers and students to pay attention to personal and hand hygiene. The CHP also recommends that teachers and students check their temperature daily before returning to school. If they develop symptoms or a fever, they should not go to school. Schools should immediately report suspected outbreaks (such as respiratory infections) to the CHP to facilitate follow-up.

Dr Tsui reminded parents that the condition of children with influenza may deteriorate rapidly. Parents must pay close attention to their children’s condition. They should go to the Accident and Emergency Department immediately if the child’s condition deteriorates, for example if they develop symptoms such as shortness of breath, wheezing, blue lips, chest pain, confusion, persistent fever or convulsion. High-risk individuals should wear surgical masks when staying in crowded places. People with respiratory symptoms, even if mild, should wear a surgical mask and seek medical advice promptly. They should also consider whether to attend work or school.

Regarding SIV Programmes, to boost SIV rates, enrolment for the SIV School Outreach Programme has started since the beginning of June this year, which was earlier than last year. With the concerted efforts of the Government and various community sectors (including the medical sector and schools), approximately 2 300 schools (99 per cent) are going to arrange SIV school outreach activities. Among these, over 1 330 schools (58 per cent) have scheduled to carry out the outreach activities by the end of this month, and over 2 170 schools (94 per cent) by the end of next month (November), which are respectively higher than last year’s 45 per cent and 83 per cent.

“Through the concerted efforts of schools and medical institutions, this season’s school outreach activities will generally be completed earlier than last season’s. Since the start of the school year, about 710 schools have held SIV school outreach activities, which is higher than of 560 compared to the same period in the last season. In addition, 23 schools have responded to the CHP’s call to advance their outreach activities, originally scheduled for December this year or January next year, to be held by the end of next month. We understand that participating schools have to take into account various objective factors such as the school calendar and staffing when scheduling school outreach activities, and coordinate with participating medical teams on the appropriate time. Should schools encounter any difficulties in advancing their outreach activities, they may contact the CHP during office hours at 3975 4872 and we will provide full assistance,” Dr Tsui added.

Currently, over 770 000 doses of vaccines have been administered under the various SIV Programmes, representing a 5.2 per cent increase in coverage rate compared to last year. However, vaccination rates among children aged 6 months to under 2 years remain relatively low.

Dr Tsui said the Government has opened all 29 of the DH’s Maternal and Child Health Centres (MCHCs) for all children aged 6 months to under 2 years. Moreover, the District Health Centres and District Health Centre Expresses and their service outlets under the Primary Healthcare Commission in the 18 districts, and 74 Family Medicine Clinics and 38 public hospitals of the Hospital Authority to provide more choices for the public. For a list of vaccination venues, please refer to the CHP’s Vaccination Schemes page. Parents of eligible children may book an appointment for their children to receive vaccinations at designated MCHCs via the online booking system.

For more information on the SIV programmes, visit the webpage or call the CHP during office hours at 2125 2125.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Immigration Department conducted a tabletop emergency-handling exercise as part of its preparations for the 15th National Games (NG), the 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities and the 9th National Special Olympic Games.

The exercise focused on the immigration arrangements for athletes and related personnel at control points during the games, and on emergencies that may arise during the cross-boundary events.

The aim was to stage scenarios and simulate processes in order to strengthen departmental officers’ responsiveness and collaboration, and ensure that preparations are thorough and seamless.

During the exercise, Director of Immigration Benson Kwok and the commanders of various control points were briefed by participating colleagues.

Mr Kwok said the exercise provided valuable training experience, and that its successful completion reflected the robustness of the department’s response mechanisms, showcasing the professionalism of departmental staff inspired by the spirit of “Love our country & Hong Kong, & striving for excellence.”

He elaborated that the exercise enabled staff to further familiarise themselves with emergency response protocols for the 15th NG, so that they can provide safe and smooth immigration services for athletes and related personnel.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Hong Kong and Macau session of “The Ministry of Education National Lecture Tour on the Spirit of Educators” was held today, with more than 300 principals and teachers from the two places participating in the event.

Themed “strengthening the teaching force with the spirit of educators, composing a glorious chapter in building a leading country in education”, the session involved representatives from different provinces and cities on the Mainland, and a teacher from Hong Kong, sharing their insights on the nurturing of students.

The event’s opening ceremony was jointly hosted by Director General of the Ministry of Education Department of Teacher Education Yu Weiyue; Director of the State Council Hong Kong & Macao Affairs Office Bureau IV Chen Wei; Director-General of the Department of Educational, Scientific & Technological Affairs of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Wang Weiming; Secretary for Education Choi Yuk-lin; and Macau Education & Youth Development Bureau Deputy Director Iun Pui Iun.

Ms Choi highlighted that President Xi Jinping attaches great importance to the development of the teaching profession and has spoken of the unique spirit of Chinese educators. She mentioned that the 2024-2035 masterplan for building China into a leading country in education involves implementing a “Strengthening the Teaching Force with the Spirit of Educators” campaign.

Ms Choi said out imbuing the teaching profession with this spirit is a vital task in building the nation into a leading country in education, and also essential to achieving Chinese modernisation and national rejuvenation.

She remarked that in Hong Kong, the Education Bureau (EB) is aligned with national efforts to strengthen the teaching profession and committed to building a high-quality teaching force.

She said this will be achieved by fostering a culture of respect for teachers and love for students, commending excellent teachers, and continuously optimising and commencing teacher training and exchange programmes.

These efforts broaden professional horizons, enhance innovative teaching capabilities, and provide robust support for teachers and principals to advance their expertise, she elaborated.

She also outlined that the EB is committed to enhancing mechanisms for upholding teachers’ professional conduct, encouraging teachers to integrate their pursuit of educational professionalism with personal integrity, and strengthening the cultivation of ethical conduct and a professional ethos within the teaching profession.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     Following is a question by the Hon Kenneth Leung and a written reply by the Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, in the Legislative Council today (October 22):

Question:

     There are views that in recent years, pressures from academic studies, families and interpersonal relationships, etc, coupled with the ever-changing social environment, have led to increasingly common mental health issues among young people. It has been reported that a study has even pointed out that among those aged 15 to 24 of the population, as many as 16.6 per cent of the respondents have mental health issues, yet most of them have not sought assistance. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the respective numbers of new and follow-up cases involving children and young people at psychiatric specialist outpatient services in public hospitals in each of the past three years, as well as their respective percentages in the total number of cases, broken down by age group of the young people involved (i.e. under 6, 6 to under 12, 12 to under 18, 19 to under 24, and 25 to 29); the average waiting time for such new cases;

(2) of the total number of requests for assistance received each year since the launch of the “18111 – Mental Health Support Hotline” and, among the cases referred and supported through the hotline, the number of those involving young people aged 30 or below;

(3) of the current total number of primary care physicians, paramedical staff and relevant personnel with mental health qualifications and relevant training over the territory who can provide identification, intervention and preliminary psychological treatment for young people at the community level; the mental health support measures currently provided by the authorities at the community level for young people in school and at work, as well as their respective effectiveness;

(4) as there are views pointing out that despite the increase in mental health prevention, assessment and intervention services for young people in schools and communities in recent years, such services are often delivered through different programmes and platforms, making it not easy for young people to learn about these programmes and seek assistance, whether the authorities will consider providing young people with a one-stop service platform integrated with district support, thereby making it easier for young people to seek consultation and assistance as well as receive support; and

(5) of the measures put in place by the authorities targeted at the youth community to reduce the problem of young people with mental health issues not seeking assistance due to the stigma against patients with mental illnesses?

Reply:

President,

     The Government attaches great importance to the mental health of the public. Through co-ordination and collaboration among the Education Bureau (EDB), the Health Bureau (HHB), the Department of Health (DH), the Hospital Authority (HA), the Labour and Welfare Bureau (LWB), the Social Welfare Department (SWD), non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and other community stakeholders, the Government adopts an integrated approach to promote mental health. This approach provides multidisciplinary and cross-sectoral services to people with mental health needs (including children and adolescents), encompassing mental health promotion, prevention, early identification, intervention, treatment, rehabilitation services, and community support.

     In consultation with the DH, EDB, HA, LWB and SWD, the consolidated reply in response to the question raised by the Hon Kenneth Leung is as follows:

(1) The HA psychiatric specialist outpatient clinics (SOPCs) implemented an established new case triage system to ensure that patients with urgent conditions requiring early diagnosis and treatment receive priority follow-up and treatment. New referrals are typically screened by nurses first and reviewed by the relevant specialists before cases are being classified as Priority 1 (urgent), Priority 2 (semi-urgent), and Routine (stable) cases. Generally speaking, psychiatric SOPCs will classify patients with urgent medical needs as Priority 1 (urgent) cases for follow-up to ensure they will receive treatment within reasonable time. Patients may return to their respective psychiatric specialist outpatient services to receive assessment again if their mental conditions have changed during the waiting time, so that an assessment could be made as to whether there is a need to advance their consultation, or they may consider seeking treatment from the accident and emergency services.

     The HA will continue to strengthen the services of its psychiatric SOPCs, improve waiting times for urgent and semi-urgent new cases, including by increasing the number of consultation slots. The services of psychiatric nurse clinics will also be enhanced to ensure that patients receive follow-up care while waiting for specialist outpatient appointments or during follow-up appointments.

     The tables below set out the number of first, follow-up and total attendances of the psychiatric specialist outpatient (clinical) services in the HA in 2022/23, 2023/24 and 2024/25:

2022/23

Age group	Psychiatric specialist outpatient (clinical) first attendances	Percentage to the total no. of psychiatric specialist outpatient (clinical) first attendances	Psychiatric specialist outpatient (clinical) follow-up attendances	Percentage to the total no. of psychiatric specialist outpatient (clinical) follow-up attendances	Psychiatric specialist outpatient (clinical) total attendances	Percentage to the total no. of psychiatric specialist outpatient (clinical) total attendances
age 0-5	2 714	6%	3 788	<1%	6 502	1%
age 6-11	5 637	13%	48 614	5%	54 251	6%
age 12-18	3 814	9%	67 609	7%	71 423	7%
age 19-24	1 775	4%	38 695	4%	40 470	4%
age 25-29	1 552	4%	35 199	4%	36 751	4%
age 30 or above	26 395	63%	731 407	79%	757 802	78%
Total	41 887	100%	925 312	100%	967 199	100%

2023/24

Age group	Psychiatric specialist outpatient (clinical) first attendances	Percentage to the total no. of psychiatric specialist outpatient (clinical) first attendances	Psychiatric specialist outpatient (clinical) follow-up attendances	Percentage to the total no. of psychiatric specialist outpatient (clinical) follow-up attendances	Psychiatric specialist outpatient (clinical) total attendances	Percentage to the total no. of psychiatric specialist outpatient (clinical) total attendances
age 0-5	3 332	7%	3 740	<1%	7 072	1%
age 6-11	5 579	12%	47 791	5%	53 370	5%
age 12-18	4 136	9%	73 477	8%	77 613	8%
age 19-24	2 007	4%	40 683	4%	42 690	4%
age 25-29	1 606	4%	35 090	4%	36 696	4%
age 30 or above	28 032	63%	733 485	79%	761 517	78%
Total	44 692	100%	934 267	100%	978 959	100%

2024/25

Age group	Psychiatric specialist outpatient (clinical) first attendances	Percentage to the total no. of psychiatric specialist outpatient (clinical) first attendances	Psychiatric specialist outpatient (clinical) follow-up attendances	Percentage to the total no. of psychiatric specialist outpatient (clinical) follow-up attendances	Psychiatric specialist outpatient (clinical) total attendances	Percentage to the total no. of psychiatric specialist outpatient (clinical) total attendances
age 0-5	3 075	7%	4 266	<1%	7 341	1%
age 6-11	6 052	13%	49 022	5%	55 074	5%
age 12-18	5 215	11%	82 264	8%	87 479	9%
age 19-24	2 153	5%	45 659	5%	47 812	5%
age 25-29	1 648	4%	36 306	4%	37 954	4%
age 30 or above	28 671	61%	759 956	78%	788 627	77%
Total	46 814	100%	977 473	100%	1 024 287	100%

Notes:
(1) Age groups are delineated according to the age attained as of June 30 of the respective year.
(2) Individual figures may not add up to the total due to rounding and the inclusion of unknown age groups.

     The HA has implemented a triage system on specialist outpatient (SOP) services to determine the priority of patients attending SOPCs based on their clinical condition. Statistics on waiting time for new cases at SOPCs by age group are not available.

     In 2022/23, 2023/24 and 2024/25, the number of new cases triaged as Priority 1 (urgent), Priority 2 (semi-urgent) and Routine (stable) cases and their respective median (50th percentile) waiting time in the HA for child and adolescent psychiatric SOP service and adult psychiatric SOP service are tabulated below:

2022/23

	Priority 1		Priority 2		Routine
	Number of new cases	Median waiting time (weeks)	Number of new cases	Median waiting time (weeks)	Number of new cases	Median waiting time (weeks)
Child and adolescent psychiatric SOP service	206	1	959	3	13 089	73
Adult psychiatric SOP service	1 846	1	6 419	3	19 105	18

2023/24

	Priority 1		Priority 2		Routine
	Number of new cases	Median waiting time (weeks)	Number of new cases	Median waiting time (weeks)	Number of new cases	Median waiting time (weeks)
Child and adolescent psychiatric SOP service	190	1	1 107	2	13 078	77
Adult psychiatric SOP service	1 869	1	6 121	3	18 877	19

2024/25

	Priority 1		Priority 2		Routine
	Number of new cases	Median waiting time (weeks)	Number of new cases	Median waiting time (weeks)	Number of new cases	Median waiting time (weeks)
Child and adolescent psychiatric SOP service	173	<1	1 082	2	13 607	77
Adult psychiatric SOP service	1 529	1	5 948	3	19 426	21

Note: With effect from October 1, 2022, the waiting time for new case bookings at integrated clinics has been incorporated in that at psychiatric SOPCs.

     In view of the COVID-19 epidemic outbreak in Hong Kong in early 2020, the HA adjusted its services to cope with the outbreak. This should be taken into consideration when comparing the service capacity of the HA in the respective years. With the cessation of anti-epidemic measures in early 2023, the HA has been gradually resuming the provision of all of its services.

(2) The HHB launched the “18111 – Mental Health Support Hotline” (MHSH) to provide one-stop, round-the-clock support for people with mental health needs, rendering emotional and mental health support to persons from all backgrounds and of all ages. Callers will be provided with service information or referred to appropriate service organisations based on their individual needs.

     Since its launch on December 27, 2023, up to September 30, 2025, MHSH has handled a total of around 208 000 calls (an average of around 330 calls per day) and provided immediate support. Of these, 510 cases were referred to the Integrated Community Centre for Mental Wellness (ICCMW) of the SWD, Designated Hotline for Carer Support of the SWD, the Mental Health Direct hotline of the HA and other NGOs. Among these referrals, 23 cases were more urgent and required immediate referral to the Police for follow-up. Among callers willing to disclose their age, those aged 11 or below, 12 to 17 years, 18 to 24 years and 25 to 34 years constituted approximately <1 per cent, 4 per cent, 9 per cent and 18 per cent respectively, while these groups constituted about 0 per cent, 2 per cent, 6 per cent and 22 per cent of the referral cases, respectively. (3) to (5) The Government adopts an integrated and multidisciplinary approach when providing mental health services. The multidisciplinary teams, including doctors, nurses, clinical psychologists, medical social workers, and occupational therapists, provide mental health-related support to young people at the community level. Due to the participation of numerous individuals who typically provide support across multiple services, it is thus not feasible to have separate breakdowns of the human resources allocated solely to deliver mental health support to young people at the community level.      The Government has introduced a number of measures at the community level to address the mental health needs of young people in education and employment, effectively helping each group managing their specific mental health needs.      From August 2024, the Government launched the Healthy Mind Pilot Project at three District Health Centre (DHC)/ Expresses, to offer free initial mental health assessments to members aged 18 or above. Members initially assessed to have mild symptoms of depression or anxiety will be referred to service providers in the same district for follow-up by trained Wellbeing Practitioners, providing further emotional assessment and evidence-based low-intensity psychological therapy. As outlined in the Chief Executive’s 2025 Policy Address, the Government will extend the project to cover six more DHCs in 2026 to provide more comprehensive follow-up services.      In addition, the SWD has since 2010 established 24 ICCMWs in the territory to provide one-stop, district-based community mental health support services ranging from prevention to risk management for persons in mental recovery, persons with mental health needs (target group has been extended to cover secondary school students aged below 15), their families, carers, and local residents. To meet the needs of at-risk and hidden youths, the Government has since 2018 provided subventions to NGOs to set up five Cyber Youth Support Teams to proactively search and reach out to at-risk and hidden youths through online platforms, providing timely intervention, counselling, support, guidance and follow-up services through both online and offline modes. The SWD also provides 24-hour online counselling services for youth experiencing emotional distress and immediate crises through the real-time youth emotional health support platform “OpenUp”, allowing them to receive support anytime, anywhere. Furthermore, the EDB’s one-stop student mental health information website, “Mental Health @ School”, not only provides diverse information on improving student mental health, but also includes relevant community resources and helplines to help schools, students, and parents gain a deeper understanding of mental health information, services, and help-seeking channels.      In terms of mental health publicity and public education, the Government has launched the “Shall We Talk” mental health promotion and public education program. The programme aims to step up public engagement in promoting mental well-being, enhance public awareness of mental health with a view to encouraging help-seeking and early intervention, and reduce stigma towards people with mental health needs. Through the one-stop website, social media pages and offline events, “Shall We Talk” delivers messages on mental health. In order to reach out to more young people, the programme held tours at primary and secondary schools across different districts, as well as tertiary institutions, and broadcast videos on social media platforms to encourage the public to recognise mental health issues, to promote mental health messages.      As mentioned above, the Government has launched a number of mental health initiatives and implemented a three-tier response mechanism, i.e. prevention, identification, intervention and treatment, to support youth mental health. This requires concerted efforts from the Government, society and families to reduce stigmatisation and encourage young people to actively seek help when facing mental health issues.