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Statistics

2011 Health Manpower Survey

Summary of the Characteristics of Medical Laboratory Technologists Enumerated

I.  Medical Laboratory Technologists Covered

1.1   The medical laboratory technologists covered in the 2011 HMS were medical laboratory technologists registered with the Medical Laboratory Technologists Board of Hong Kong under the Supplementary Medical Professions Ordinance (Chapter 359) as at the survey reference date - 31.3.2011.

1.2    The number of medical laboratory technologists covered was 2 850.

1.3   Of the 2 850 medical laboratory technologists covered, 1 344 had responded to the survey, giving an overall response rate of 47.2%. Among the respondents, 1 186 were economically active*† (active) in the local medical laboratory technology profession as at 31.3.2011 and 158 reported to be economically inactive*‡ (inactive) in the local medical laboratory technology profession (Chart A) .

1.4   Of the 1 186 active medical laboratory technologists, 1 144 were practising in the local medical laboratory technology profession, 27 were seeking jobs and 15  believed no work available, were waiting to take up new jobs, or expecting to return to original jobs in the local medical laboratory technology profession during the 30 days before the survey.  The survey results presented in paragraph 1.6 below were based on the 1 144 responding medical laboratory technologists who were practising in the local medical laboratory technology profession as at 31.3.2011.  As some information was missing from certain questionnaires, percentages presented below may not add up to 100%.

1.5   Of the 158 inactive medical laboratory technologists, 23 reported practising overseas, two reported practising in the Mainland and 120 reported not seeking jobs in the local medical laboratory technology profession during the 30 days before the survey (Chart A) . Among the 120 inactive medical laboratory technologists who reported not seeking jobs, the main reasons reported for not seeking jobs included:  66 (55.0%) were working in other professions, 17 (14.2%) were engaged in household duties, 13 (10.8%) were retired and 13 (10.8%) wanted to take rest/ having no motive to work/ having no financial need.

*   In the survey, the criteria used in defining economically active / inactive followed those recommended by the International Labour Organization, which are also being used by the Census and Statistics Department in Hong Kong.

†  “Economically active” medical laboratory technologists comprised all “employed” and “unemployed” medical laboratory technologists. “Employed” medical laboratory technologists referred to those medical laboratory technologists practising in the medical laboratory technology profession in Hong Kong during the survey period, while “unemployed” medical laboratory technologists referred to those medical laboratory technologists who (a) were not practising in the local medical laboratory technology profession during the survey period; (b) had been available for work during the seven days before the survey; and (c) had sought work in the local medical laboratory technology profession during the 30 days before the survey.

‡  “Economically inactive” medical laboratory technologists comprised the medical laboratory technologists who were not practising in the medical laboratory technology profession in Hong Kong during the survey period, excluding those who had been on leave during the survey period and who were “economically active” but “unemployed”.

Chart A : Activity Status of Medical Laboratory Technologists Covered

Text Version

Of the 2 850 medical laboratory technologists covered, 1 344 (47.2%) had responded to the survey, while the remaining 1 506(52.8%) had not responded. Among the respondents, 1 186 (88.2%) were active in the local medical laboratory technology profession and 158 (11.8%) reported to be inactive in the local medical laboratory technology profession. Among the 1 186 active medical laboratory technologists, 1 144 (96.5%) were practising in the local medical laboratory technology profession, 27 (2.3%) (a) were not practising in the medical laboratory technology profession in Hong Kong during the survey period; (b) had been available for work during the seven days before the survey; and (c) had sought work in the medical laboratory technology profession during the 30 days before the survey and the reamining 15 (1.3%) (a) were not practising in the medical laboratory technology profession in Hong Kong during the survey period; (b) had been available for work during the seven days before the survey; and (c) were believing no work available, waiting to take up new jobs or expecting to return to original jobs in the local medical laboratory technology profession during the 30 days before the survey. Of the 158 inactive medical laboratory technologists, 120 (75.9%) reported not practising in the medical laboratory technology profession in Hong Kong and not seeking jobs in the medical laboratory technology profession during the 30 days before the survey, 23 (14.6%) reported practising overseas, 2 (1.3%) reported practising in the Mainland in the medical laboratory technology profession and the remaining 13 (8.2%) (a) were not practising in the medical laboratory technology profession in Hong Kong during the survey period; (b) had not been available for work during the seven days before the survey; and (c) had sought work in the medical laboratory technology profession during the 30 days before the survey. Of the 120 inactive medical laboratory technologists, 66 (55.0%) were working in other professions, 17 (14.2%) were engaged in household duties, 13 (10.8%) were retired, 13 (10.8%) wanted to take rest/having no motive to work/ having no financial need and the remaining 11 (9.2%)* had other reasons for being inactive. Note: * Figure refers to the number of responding medical laboratory technologists who reported emigrated, undertaking study, etc Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding.

1.6   Two medical laboratory technologists did not indicate their sex.  Of the remaining 1 142 active medical laboratory technologists enumerated, 507 (44.4%) were male and 635 (55.6%) were female, giving an overall sex ratio (males per 100 females) of 80.  Apart from nine medical laboratory technologists who did not indicate the age, the median age of the remaining 1 135 active medical laboratory technologists enumerated was 43.0 years.  The median age of the active female medical laboratory technologists enumerated was 42.0 years and that of their male counterparts was 44.0 years.

1.7   The responding active medical laboratory technologists were requested to indicate the characteristics of their main jobs*.  Distribution of the main job by sector showed that the largest proportion (43.9%) of active medical laboratory technologists were working in the Hospital Authority, followed by those working in the private sector (36.0%), the Government (12.1%) and the academic and subvented sectors (7.9%).

1.8   The median age of the active medical laboratory technologists enumerated was 43.0 years for those working in the Government, Hospital Authority or private sector, followed by 42.0 years for those working in the academic and subvented sectors.

*  Main jobs referred to the jobs in which the medical laboratory technologists had spent most of their working time.

1.9   Of the 1 144 active medical laboratory technologists enumerated, 79.8% spent most of their working time on medical laboratory tests, followed by 13.7% on administration / management, 3.8% on research and 1.5% on teaching.

1.10   The median number of hours of work (excluding meal breaks) per week of the 1 144 active medical laboratory technologists enumerated was 44.0 hours.  Among them, 153 (13.4%) medical laboratory technologists were required to undertake on-call duty (excluding normal duty), with a median of 12.0 hours of on-call duty (excluding normal duty) per week.

1.11   Of the 1 144 active medical laboratory technologists enumerated, 35.9% held Diploma / Higher Diploma, 28.0% held Bachelor’s Degree, 19.3% held Certificate of Competence / Ordinary Certificate / Higher Certificate and 15.2% held Certificate issued by the Medical Laboratory Technologists Board as their basic qualifications.

1.12   Of the 1 144 active medical laboratory technologists enumerated, 823 (71.9%) received / were receiving additional training and 321 (28.1%) did not receive any additional training.  Of the 823 active medical laboratory technologists with additional training, 28 (3.4%) had not yet completed the additional training, 262 (31.8%) held Bachelor’s Degree and 374 (45.4%) held Master’s Degree as the highest qualification.

1.13   Of the 823 active medical laboratory technologists who received / were receiving additional training, 25.1% were trained in biomedical sciences, 18.9% in medical laboratory sciences, 12.5% in medical laboratory technology, 12.3% in medical microbiology and 11.2% in haematology and serology.

1.14   Of the 823 active medical laboratory technologists who received / were receiving additional training, 531 (64.5%) were trained in one field of additional training.  Among them, 35.2% were trained in biomedical sciences, 18.6% in medical laboratory sciences, 11.5% in medical microbiology, 9.4% in medical laboratory technology and 8.7% in haematology and serology.

1.15   Regarding Continuing Professional Development (CPD) activities, 781 (68.3%) of the active medical laboratory technologists revealed that they had participated in CPD activities in 2011, 325 (28.4%) did not participate in any CPD activities and 38 (3.3%) did not reveal whether they had participated in any CPD activities or not.  Among the 781 active medical laboratory technologists enumerated who had participated in CPD activities, the distribution of CPD credits attained in the past 12 months was: 1 to 10 credits (49.7%), 11 to 20 credits (33.2%) and 21 to 30 credits (8.8%).

II.  Trend Analysis

2.1   Comparison of findings of the 2011 HMS with those surveys before 2004 should be cautious as the survey methodology and reference date had been changed.

2.2   With the enactment of the Medical Laboratory Technologists (Registration and Disciplinary Procedure) Regulations (Chapter 359A), registration of medical laboratory technologists commenced on 1 October 1990 while disciplinary control of the profession was effective on 1 August 1991, it is mandatory for a person practising medical laboratory technology in Hong Kong to hold a valid practising certificate.  Between 1992 and 2011, the number of medical laboratory technologists increased from 2 031 to 2 850 (Chart B) .

Chart B: Number of Medical Laboratory Technologists Covered by Year (1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2011)

Text Version

In the 1992 Health Manpower Survey, the number of medical laboratory technologists covered was 2 031. In the 1996 Health Manpower Survey, the number of medical laboratory technologists covered was 2 603. In the 2000 Health Manpower Survey, the number of medical laboratory technologists covered was 2 412. In the 2004 Health Manpower Survey, the number of medical laboratory technologists covered was 2 464. In the 2005 Health Manpower Survey, the number of medical laboratory technologists covered was 2 474. In the 2006 Health Manpower Survey, the number of medical laboratory technologists covered was 2 525. In the 2007 Health Manpower Survey, the number of medical laboratory technologists covered was 2 566. In the 2008 Health Manpower Survey, the number of medical laboratory technologists covered was 2 614. In the 2011 Health Manpower Survey, the number of medical laboratory technologists covered was 2 850. Note: Figures of the year 2000 and before refer to the number of medical laboratory technologists registered with the Medical Laboratory Technologists Board of Hong Kong as at the 1st of July of the respective years, whereas the figures of 2004 to 2011 refer to that as at the 31st of March of the respective years.

2.3   The sex ratio (males per 100 females) of active medical laboratory technologists enumerated decreased from 151 in 1982 to 80 in 2011 (Table A) .

2.4   The mean age of the active medical laboratory technologists enumerated increased from 31.6 years in 1982 to 42.5 years in 2011.

2.5   From 1984 to 1990, the Government was the largest employer of active medical laboratory technologists enumerated.  Since the set up of the Hospital Authority in 1991, it has been the largest employer and the proportion of active medical laboratory technologists proportion working in the Government decreased from 42.6% in 1990 to 12.1% in 2011.  On the other hand, the proportion working in the private sector increased from 13.1% in 1982 to 36.0% in 2011.

Table A : Selected Characteristics of Active Medical Laboratory Technologists Enumerated (1982, 1984, 1987, 1990, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2011)

Text Version

Department of Health
The Government of the Hong Kong
Special Administrative Region
February 2012

11 Jan 2013