Table A: Selected Characteristics of Active Local Doctors Enumerated in Health Manpower Survey by Survey Year (1982-2023)

In the 1982 Health Manpower Survey, 3487 doctors with full registration and on resident list covered and 3487 active doctors were enumerated. There were 2841 male and 546 female, and 100 did not reveal their gender. Statistics on their mean age and median age was not available. Their sex ratio was 520 male active doctors enumerated per 100 female active doctors enumerated. Among the 3487 active doctors enumerated, 1024(29.4%) worked in the Government, 531(15.2%) worked in the academic & subvented sectors, and 1474(42.3%) worked in the private sector, 170(4.9%) worked in non-medical field, 288(8.3%) did not reveal their sector of work.

In the 1984 Health Manpower Survey, 4016 doctors with full registration and on resident list covered and 3490 active doctors were enumerated. There were 2912 male and 578 female. Statistics on their mean age and median age was not available. Their sex ratio was 504 male active doctors enumerated per 100 female active doctors enumerated. Among the 3490 active doctors enumerated, 1263(36.2%) worked in the Government, 658(18.9%) worked in the academic & subvented sectors, and 1569(45.0%) worked in the private sector.

In the 1987 Health Manpower Survey, 4829 doctors with full registration and on resident list covered and 4044 active doctors were enumerated. There were 3311 male and 733 female. Statistics on their mean age and median age was not available. Their sex ratio was 452 male active doctors enumerated per 100 female active doctors enumerated. Among the 4044 active doctors enumerated, 1443(35.7%) worked in the Government, 812(20.1%) worked in the academic & subvented sectors, 1789(44.2%) worked in the private sector. 

In the 1990 Health Manpower Survey, 5643 doctors with full registration and on resident list covered and 4545 active doctors were enumerated. There were 3686 male and 859 female. Statistics on their mean age and median age was not available. Their sex ratio was 429 male active doctors enumerated per 100 female active doctors enumerated. Among the 4545 active doctors enumerated, 1759(38.7%) worked in the Government, 797(17.5%) worked in the academic & subvented sectors, 1989(43.8%) worked in the private sector. 

In the 1992 Health Manpower Survey, 6397 doctors with full registration and on resident list covered and 5094 active doctors were enumerated. There were 4102 male and 992 female. Statistics on their mean age and median age was not available. Their sex ratio was 414 male active doctors enumerated per 100 female active doctors enumerated. Among the 5094 active doctors enumerated, 413(8.1%) worked in the Government, 2241(44.0%) worked in the Hospital Authority, 242(4.8%) worked in the subvented sectors, and 2198(43.1%) worked in the private sector.

In the 1996 Health Manpower Survey, 7567 doctors with full registration and on resident list covered and 5416 active doctors were enumerated. There were 4240 male and 1176 female. Their mean age was 41.2 and statistics on their median age was not available. Their sex ratio was 361 male active doctors enumerated per 100 female active doctors enumerated. Among the 5416 active doctors enumerated, 496(9.2%) worked in the Government, 2576(47.6%) worked in the Hospital Authority, 275(5.1%) worked in the subvented sectors, and 2069(38.2%) worked in the private sector. 

In the 2000 Health Manpower Survey, 8773 doctors with full registration and on resident list covered and 5679 active doctors were enumerated. There were 4409 male and 1270 female. Their mean age was 42.6 and median age was 40.0. Their sex ratio was 347 male active doctors enumerated per 100 female active doctors enumerated. Among the 5679 active doctors enumerated, 593(10.4%) worked in the Government, 2558(45.0%) worked in the Hospital Authority, 235(4.1%) worked in the academic & subvented sectors, 2293(40.4%) worked in the private sector.  

In the 2003 Health Manpower Survey, 9905 doctors with full registration and on resident list covered and 4941 active doctors were enumerated. There were 3696 male and 1234 female and 11 did not reveal their gender. Their mean age was 43.3 and median age was 41.0. Their sex ratio was 300 male active doctors enumerated per 100 female active doctors enumerated. Among the 4941 active doctors enumerated, 327(6.6%) worked in the Government, 2335(47.3%) worked in the Hospital Authority, 167(3.4%) worked in the academic & subvented sectors, 1933(39.1%) worked in the private sector, and 179(3.6%) did not reveal their sector of work.

In the 2004 Health Manpower Survey, 10157 doctors with full registration and on resident list covered and 4388 active doctors were enumerated. There were 3249 male and 1139 female. Their mean age was 43.7 and median age was 42.0. Their sex ratio was 285 male active doctors enumerated per 100 female active doctors enumerated. Among the 4388 active doctors enumerated, 273(6.2%) worked in the Government, 2025(46.1%) worked in the Hospital Authority, 151(3.4%) worked in the academic & subvented sectors, and 1921(43.8%) worked in the private sector, and 18(0.4%) did not reveal their sector of work.



Notes:
1. Figures of 2000 and before refer to the number of doctors fully registered with the Medical Council of Hong Kong on the resident list as at the 1st July of the respective years, whereas the figure of 2003 refers to that as at the 31st December 2003 and the figures of 2004 to 2007, 2009, 2012, 2015 and 2018 refer to that as at the 31st August of the respective years. Figures of 2023 refers to the number of doctors who were fully registered with the Medical Council of Hong Kong under the Medical Registration Ordinance (Chapter 161) as at the survey reference date of 31 August 2023 and listed on the resident list of the Medical Register as at 30 November 2023.

2. In 2003 to 2007, 2009, 2012, 2015, 2018 and 2023, the sector refers to the sector for the main job.

3. Before 1992, doctors in the public sector were classified as working for the Government. Since 1992, public sector doctors have been categorised separately under the Hospital Authority and the Government.

4. Military was included in the 1984, 1987, 1992 and 1996 HMS.

5. There may be slight discrepancy between the sum of individual items and the total due to rounding.