The Hospital Authority said on Tuesday that flexible arrangements had been put in place to manage the transition when new fees for public accident and emergency (A&E) wards take effect in the new year.

The standard charge will increase from the current flat rate of HK$180 to HK$400 from January 1.

However, all critical and emergency patients will continue to receive treatment free of charge.

Eddie Yuen, the authority's chief manager for infection, emergency and contingency, said preparations were in place for the change, with potential patient surges anticipated around implementation time.

"We have deployed more staff to handle the situation. We've got more staff at the registration counter. We've got staff looking after the queue to make sure that they actually come in before midnight," he said.

"For those that are just a few minutes off, we have told our staff to be more flexible, more humane. So for those patients, we can turn the clock back for them. We'll charge them HK$180 instead of HK$400."

Yuen said the reform is aimed at directing resources and manpower towards patients with the most urgent needs, thereby enhancing overall healthcare quality.

Patients, he added, are categorised upon arrival using an objective clinical method.

"We do understand that everybody thinks they are urgent, they are severe," Yuen said.

"That's why we need a ruler, we need a method to tell them scientifically, medically, which category they are in, so that they can make a better decision later on.

"Say if you are only a semi-urgent case, and I'm telling you that there will be a wait, then they can make a decision on whether they want to wait or not, or go somewhere else."

For patients who choose not to wait after triage, a refund mechanism will be available.

Yuen said patients will receive HK$350 of the HK$400 fee back, with HK$50 retained to cover registration and professional triage services.

"As a rule of thumb, usually the money will go back to their account within one month," he said.

Payments made by credit card will be refunded directly, while cash or Octopus payments will be refunded via cheques.