Dear Colleagues,

We have been fighting COVID-19 for just over a year and that has changed everything.  One year on, our battle continues, but GHK has remained a safe workplace for our colleagues and a hospital trusted by our patients.  I thank you all for helping GHK get to where it is today.
 

We have Changed a lot

Together, we have been through a lot and we have changed a lot. I still remember how we worried that we won’t get enough N95 masks but you got them for us. I witnessed how all of you from different departments stepped up and efficiently managed the hundreds of people who queued up at the AED for COVID-19 test. Each of you supported us by moving out of your normal working position to help with access control duty roster at the front entrance. With that, we gained time to install our thermal scanner. Although there were struggles with our IT system, you still supported our upgrade from hand-written entry declaration to electronic ones. You were making up to 100 calls per day to remind our patients to do pre-admission tests can never be forgotten. Whether you supported us at client-facing positions, or worked diligently behind the scene, we saw, we remember, and we are proud to work with you as a team.
 

Change has become the New Normal

We know some of you are feeling fatigued due to the never-ending changes. Stay positive because we heard you and we are with you. This continuous change is inevitable but we will make use of opportunities to simplify workflows. We will be rolling out schemes to recognise the extra effort you have made, and we hope to bring smiles to the faces behind your masks.
 

Change is for Recovery

We stay hopeful as the city-wide vaccination programme is on track for launch. On this, I encourage you to get vaccinated when you are offered the chance. I appeal to you to look at the scientific evidences and choose wisely what is important to you and your family. We need your support as we all try hard to help Hong Kong win this fight against COVID-19.
 

We Hear You

I hope that you have taken the time to join the online IHH CEO Global Town Hall. Those of you who joined would have noted the overview on the various strategic initiatives that IHH will take in different areas. On top of that, our hospital is striving to grow, particularly in areas that exhibit potential. Given the time constraint of the global town hall, we were not able to address all questions from staff, but we have made a note of the other questions received, and will address them at our local town hall.
 

While 2020 was a tough year, we are pleased that the hospital is able to continue to provide our staff with performance-based discretionary bonus, and later in April, eligible staff will also be granted the initial portion of our loyalty bonus. Once again, I send you my appreciation for your dedication.

The Chinese New Year fast approaching, I wish you all good health and all the happiness in the Year of the Ox!

Our communication with staff on COVID-19 continues as we fight hard against the fourth wave of the pandemic locally. Acknowledging staff’s general concerns over the local development of COVID-19, our Infection Prevention and Control Officer Prof Seto Wing-hong, a specialist in Clinical Microbiology & Infection and Director of WHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control of HKU, hosted a session to debunk a number of myths and misunderstanding about COVID-19. Prof Seto’s sharing was complemented by some of the clinical data on the pandemic, international researches on infectious diseases, and his reminders on the importance of infection control measures including strict hand hygiene, effective isolation, medical surveillance, etc.