Hospital Authority reform

There is still plenty of scope for streamline the staff structure at Hospital Authority headquarters, Dr Ho said.

He said it was time to trim senior grades, eight years after the body was established.

'It doesn't mean that we were overstaffed before,' he said.

'We started from zero eight years ago when there was a need to have a strong management. It's now right to trim it at a time of tight resources.

'We have more senior staff on contract terms, which might not be renewed when they expire.

'Frontline staff are more important and [any streamlining] should start with the headquarters.'