The Hospital Authority says it will continue to recruit overseas-trained doctors – with Britain and Australia being possible hiring destinations again – after conceding that it cannot solve the local workforce shortage within a short period of time.

But it pointed out that about 70 non-locally trained doctors have joined the city's public hospitals as of the end of September, while another 40 are expected to come in the next few months.

Most of the non-locally trained doctors who were interviewed and hired between April and September are from Britain and Australia, where the authority held recruitment exercises earlier this year.

One of them who attended April's hiring exercise in London is Strathan Chun, currently a doctor in ophthalmology at the New Territories West cluster.

Mr Chun said he decided to work in Hong Kong because of the salary, benefits and low tax rate, but admitted that using Chinese at work is something he will need to get used to.

"All medical schools in the UK teach in English, and also English is used to communicate with patients. But in Hong Kong, obviously, Cantonese is the main language, and in the New Territories West cluster, I sometimes encounter Mandarin-speaking patients. I am fluent in both Cantonese and Mandarin, so it shouldn't be a big problem,” he said.

"Perhaps the thing I have to get used to the most is the medical terminology, which may take time to be accustomed to."

Fung Hoi-yin, who started working in family medicine and primary healthcare at the same cluster in May this year, said she is now used to working here.

“Hong Kong has a higher working pace and caseload than in the UK. This is not a huge problem for me, because my colleagues and seniors give me time to adapt, and arrange suitable duties for me.”

A chief manager with the Hospital Authority, Gladys Kwan, said the authority is looking to hold more hiring exercises to recruit non-locally trained doctors.

"After two recruitment exercises, our message has possibly reached various places, and medical students studying overseas. We have been receiving applications and are arranging interviews,"

"We have plans to hold hiring exercises in different places. Of course, we have been to the UK and Australia...and we are now considering whether to go back to these places."

But she said it'll take time to tackle the manpower crunch at public hospitals.

“The shortage, I believe, cannot be solved immediately. We are still hoping to attract staff members to come back within our capabilities.”

She also said the authority would work hard to promote the advantages of practising in the SAR, as well as deepen exchanges with the Greater Bay Area.