Hong Kong rightly prides itself on a high standard of health care primarily delivered through a public hospital system used by 90 per cent of patients. But the system is under pressure, reflected in the exodus of doctors to the private sector and chronically long queues and waiting times. It says something about a growing mismatch of resources and demand that the city’s No 2 official, Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, has gone to the extraordinary lengths of pitching Hong Kong ‘s public health system as a career option to graduating British medical students.

The occasion was an event in London organised by our Hospital Authority. What helps makes his speech unusual is that despite the urgency of the problem, Hong Kong applies rules that limit incentives for overseas doctors. Thanks to opposition from the local medical profession on the grounds of patient safety, doctors trained overseas, including Britain, need to pass a tough licensing exam or apply for limited registration. Others have called for a more flexible approach, sparking debate about where the best interests of patients lie.

That is a shame. Cheung’s description of a fast-expanding hospital system to meet the needs of young and old could appeal to new doctors seeking challenges or broader pastures. These range from the special needs of an ageing population with long life expectancy to “immediate” job opportunities at the city’s first children’s hospital, near the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal, set to open in phases from this quarter. There are also three-year contract opportunities at the Department of Health.