China News Service, May 18. According to Hong Kong's "Sing Tao Daily" report, the Hong Kong Physiotherapy Association published a manpower survey report on the 17th. It is estimated that in the next five years, 20 to 30% of active physiotherapists will leave the industry.
The industry has put forward suggestions, hoping that the HA and the SWD will review and face up to the shortage of manpower in the allied health sector and improve their treatment.
The survey interviewed 607 working physiotherapists in Hong Kong from October 2021 to April 2022. The results show that 26% of physiotherapists expect to leave the profession within 5 years, of which 25% work in public hospitals and 20% work in non-public hospitals. Government organizations work, 30% work in the private sector.
Of the respondents who expect to leave the industry within 5 years, 55% have more than 10 years of experience, and Hong Kong is expected to lose a large number of experienced physiotherapists.
Pang Yiu-chung, President of the Hong Kong Society of Physiotherapy, suggested that the SAR government should not only increase the number of students in UGC-funded physiotherapy courses, but also review the salary package. Currently, the starting salary of new physiotherapists remains at the level of higher diploma qualifications. The education level of physical therapists has been raised to the bachelor's degree level for more than 27 years. The starting salary is only 30,235 yuan (HKD, the same below), which is lower than the speech therapist's 33,350 yuan. We urge the SAR government to raise the starting salary to the bachelor's degree level. to retain talent.
Tsang Chi-chung, vice president of the society, said that it currently takes 5 years to advance from a second-level therapist to a first-level therapist in a public hospital, which is slower than that of private and non-governmental organizations. Provide perks to therapists, increase the number of assistants, and improve cramped working conditions in the long run.
A physiotherapist currently working in the private sector said that many colleagues choose to work in the private market with a higher starting salary; however, when working in NGOs, due to the shortage of manpower, sometimes they need to juggle administrative work, which is very difficult. It is difficult to focus on communicating with patients and co-establishing a rehabilitation plan, and he lacks job satisfaction. He hopes that the SAR government can increase the funding of non-governmental organizations.