Prince of Wales Hospital is planning to build a 400-bed block by 2021 in an effort to stop patients having to wait for hours in the emergency department for beds to become free.
During this winter's annual surge of inpatients, occupancy rates in the 1,360-bed Sha Tin hospital were over 120 per cent - the highest among all public hospitals. At one point 80 patients admitted by the hospital were waiting for hours in the 24-hour emergency unit before they could be given a bed.
The hospital's chief executive, Dr Hung Chi-tim, said: "We really need extra beds and manpower to address the shortage of beds.
"Our patients usually suffer from complex conditions and need longer hospital stays. The ageing problem is increasing the burden on us," he added, referring to forecasts that by 2041 a third of the population in Hong Kong will be aged 65 or above.
It is understood the bill for the new building will be an estimated HK$8 billion.