Mental health issues have been a matter of concern in Hong Kong, especially in recent years, as social events and the COVID-19 pandemic have increased the psychological and emotional distress of the public. According to statistics from the University of Hong Kong, the suicide rate in Hong Kong in 2019 was 13.2 per 100,000 people, an increase of 8.6 percent from 2018. In addition, according to the Hospital Authority, the number of people diagnosed with depression and treated in Hong Kong was 66,000 in the 2022-23 fiscal year, a 17 percent increase from 2018-19. 

Mental health problems affect not only the quality of life and social functioning of individuals, but also impose a heavy burden on society and the economy. According to a study by the Chinese University of Hong Kong, the economic loss caused by mental illness in Hong Kong in 2018 was estimated at about HK$60 billion ($7.67 billion), accounting for 2.1 percent of the gross domestic product. Therefore, strengthening the prevention and treatment of mental health is an important issue for Hong Kong society.

However, facing a fiscal deficit of up to HK$100 billion, the government faces severe challenges in allocating resources. How to effectively improve the mental health level of Hong Kong within a limited fiscal space, and avoid the abuse of public medical services by the public, is an urgent problem to be solved. I would like to offer the following suggestions to the financial secretary, hoping to provide a useful reference for the 2024 Budget.

Suggestion 1: Strengthen public education and promotion of mental health.

Public education and promotion of mental health are important ways to enhance the public’s awareness and concern for mental health, as well as to reduce discrimination and stigma against people with mental health needs. The government should increase the promotion of positive information on mental health on various media and platforms, such as the definition of mental health, common mental disorders and symptoms, methods and channels of seeking help, prevention and self-care skills, etc. The government should also strengthen cooperation with nongovernmental organizations, professional groups, community groups, schools, enterprises, etc, to carry out different forms and levels of mental health education and activities, to enhance the mental health awareness and literacy of residents.

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In addition, the government should continue to support and promote the “Shall We Talk” project, which encourages the public to communicate and share more with their relatives, colleagues, neighbors, etc, to establish a good social support network, and to reduce psychological stress and loneliness. The government should also provide more psychological counseling and emotional support services for those in need, strengthen the “Emotional Hotline 18111” mental health support hotline, integrate different mental health services, and provide immediate support and referral services for the public.

Suggestion 2: Optimize the quality and efficiency of public medical services.

Public medical services are an important guarantee for the public, especially for low-income and vulnerable groups; public medical services are their main source of basic medical care. However, because of factors such as population aging, the impact of the pandemic, the shortage of medical staff, etc, public medical services face enormous pressure and challenges. According to data of the Hospital Authority, the median waiting time for psychiatric specialist outpatient services in Hong Kong in 2020 was 2.5 weeks for first priority (i.e., urgent) cases, and 8.5 weeks for second priority (i.e., semi-urgent) cases. These data show that people with mental health needs have difficulty getting timely and appropriate diagnoses and treatment, which may lead to deterioration of the condition and complications.

Public medical services are an important guarantee for the public, especially for low-income and vulnerable groups; public medical services are their main source of basic medical care

Therefore, it is recommended that the government optimize the quality and efficiency of public medical services, and improve the satisfaction and confidence of the public. Specific measures include:

—Increase medical staff, especially psychiatrists and nurses, to cope with the increasing service demand. The government should speed up the training and recruitment of medical staff, and provide more incentives and support to attract and retain excellent talents.

—Improve medical equipment and facilities, especially psychiatric wards and clinics, to improve service quality and environment. The government should increase investment, update and expand medical equipment and facilities, and strengthen maintenance and management to ensure safety and hygiene.

—Implement the electronic health record sharing system, to improve service efficiency and coordination. The government should encourage and support public and private medical institutions to participate in the electronic health record sharing system, so as to share and access patients’ medical data more effectively, reduce duplication of examinations and treatments, and improve patients’ safety and satisfaction.

—Strengthen cross-sectoral and cross-professional cooperation, to provide comprehensive and continuous mental health services. The government should strengthen the communication and coordination between public medical institutions and social welfare institutions, nongovernmental organizations, private medical institutions, etc, to achieve seamless integration of mental health services, and provide more community support and rehabilitation services, to promote the social integration and quality of life of people with mental health needs.

Suggestion 3: Promote the development and regulation of private medical services.

Private medical services are an important part of the Hong Kong medical system, which play an important role in diverting and alleviating the pressure of public medical services, as well as meeting the diversified and personalized medical needs of the public. However, the development and regulation of private medical services also face some problems and challenges, such as the supervision of service quality and safety, the issue of service price and transparency, the imbalance of service supply and distribution, etc. These problems may affect the public’s trust and choice of private medical services, and may also lead to the abuse or waste of private medical services, increasing medical expenditures and waste.

The government should support and encourage private medical institutions and professionals, to use technology and data, to develop and provide more innovative and diversified medical services, such as remote medical care, electronic prescription, smart diagnosis, personalized treatment, etc

Therefore, the government should promote the development and regulation of private medical services, improve the public’s choice and satisfaction, and promote the complementarity and collaboration of public and private medical services. Specific measures include:

—Speeding up the implementation of the Private Hospital Development Fund, to support the construction and improvement of private hospitals, increase the number of beds and service volume of private hospitals, to meet the growing demand of the public. The government should strengthen the supervision and guidance of private hospitals, to ensure that they comply with the government’s regulations and requirements, and provide quality and safe services.

—Strengthening the promotion and regulation of private medical insurance, to encourage the public to bear their own medical expenses, and reduce their dependence on public medical services. The government should strengthen the publicity and education of private medical insurance, to let the public understand the different insurance products and plans, and choose the appropriate insurance according to their own needs and abilities. The government should also strengthen the regulation and standardization of private medical insurance, to ensure that they comply with the government’s standards and regulations, and provide fair and transparent services.

—Strengthening the promotion and regulation of the innovation and diversification of private medical services, to meet the different and personalized medical needs of the public, especially in the field of mental health. The government should support and encourage private medical institutions and professionals, to use technology and data, to develop and provide more innovative and diversified medical services, such as remote medical care, electronic prescription, smart diagnosis, personalized treatment, etc. The government should also strengthen the supervision and regulation of these services, to ensure that they comply with the government’s laws and ethics, and protect the rights and privacy of the public.

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The above is my analysis of the policies and data on mental health in Hong Kong, as well as my suggestions on how to do a good job of various measures for mental health in Hong Kong and how to prevent the public from abusing public medical services under the high fiscal deficit situation. I hope to provide useful reference for the 2024 Budget.

The author is vice-president of the Hong Kong Psychological Counselling & Consultation Society, a full member of the Asian Academy of Family Therapy, and mental health affair director of Chinese Think Tank.

The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.