Statistics

2011 Health Manpower Survey on Midwives

Key Findings

1. The midwives covered in the 2011 HMS were midwives registered with the Midwives Council of Hong Kong under the Midwives Registration Ordinance (Chapter 162) as at the survey reference date - 31.8.2011 and had to renew their practising certificates in 2011.

2. The number of midwives covered was 4 125.

3. Of the 4 125 midwives covered, 2 848 had responded to the survey, giving an overall response rate of 69.0%. Of the 2 848 responding midwives, 2 338 (82.1%) were economically active*† (active) whereas 510 (17.9%) reported to be economically inactive*‡ (inactive) in the local midwifery / nursing profession (See Chart) .

4. Of the 2 338 active midwives, 2 300 (98.4%) were practising in the local midwifery / nursing profession, 23 (1.0%) were seeking jobs, four (0.2%) were having temporary sickness and 11 (0.5%) were expecting to return to their original jobs, waiting to take up new jobs in the local midwifery / nursing profession or starting business in midwifery / nursing profession at subsequent date during the 30 days before the survey.

5. The survey findings presented below were based on the 2 300 responding midwives practising in the local midwifery / nursing profession as at 31.8.2011. As some questionnaires contained missing information, percentages presented below may not add up to 100%.

(i)

Of the 2 300 active midwives enumerated, 2 103 (91.4%) were also holding valid practising certificates in registered nurses and / or enrolled nurses. 188 (8.2%) were only holding valid practising certificates in midwifery.

(ii)

All the 2 300 active midwives enumerated were female. 22 midwives did not indicate their age and the median age of the remaining 2 278 active midwives enumerated was 48.0 years.

(iii)

Distribution by sector of the main job§ showed that 1 450 (63.0%) in the Hospital Authority, followed by 384 (16.7%) in the private sector, 322 (14.0%) in the Government, 72 (3.1%) in the subvented sector and 67 (2.9%) in the academic sector.

(iv)

26.0% spent most of their working time on obstetrics, followed by 11.3% on medicine, 10.2% on administration / management, 10.0% on public health, 7.4% on surgery, 6.3% on paediatrics and 5.6% on ambulatory / outpatients.

(v)

The median number of hours of work (excluding meal breaks) per week of the 2 300 active midwives enumerated was 44.0 hours. 219 (9.5%) midwives were required to undertake on-call duty (excluding normal duty), with a median of 24.0 hours of on-call duty (excluding normal duty) per week.

(vi)

Of the 2 300 active midwives enumerated, most held Student / Pupil Nurse Training (85.2%), 6.3% held Pupil Midwife Training and 4.7% held Bachelor’s Degree as their basic qualifications.

(vii)

Of the 2 300 active midwives enumerated, 2 020 (87.8%) received / were receiving additional training and 280 (12.2%) did not receive any additional training. Of the 2 020 active midwives with additional training, six (0.3%) had not yet completed the additional training, 943 (46.7%) held Bachelor’s Degree, 564 (27.9%) held Master’s Degree and 282 (14.0%) held certificate as the highest qualification.

(viii)

Of the 2 020 midwives who received / were receiving additional training, 975 (48.3%) were trained in one field of additional training. Among them, 30.7% were trained in midwifery, 12.5% in general nursing, 10.7% in public health nursing and 4.3% in nursing administration.

* 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” midwives comprised all “employed” and “unemployed” midwives. “Employed” midwives referred to those midwives practising in the midwifery / nursing profession in Hong Kong during the survey period, while “unemployed” midwives referred to those midwives who (a) were not practising in the midwifery / nursing 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 midwifery / nursing profession during the 30 days before the survey.

‡ “Economically inactive” midwives comprised the midwives who were not practising in the midwifery / nursing profession in Hong Kong during the survey period, but excluding those who had been on leave during the survey period and who were “economically active” but “unemployed”.

§ Main jobs referred to the jobs in which the midwives had spent most of their working time.

6. Among the 510 inactive midwives (See Chart) :

(i)

81 midwives reported practising overseas or in the Mainland.

(ii)

429 midwives reported not practising in the midwifery / nursing profession in Hong Kong and not seeking job in the local midwifery / nursing profession during the 30 days before the survey. The reasons reported for not seeking job included: 187 (43.6%) were retired, 105 (24.5%) engaged in household duties, 69 (16.1%) wanted to take rest / having no motive to work / having no financial need and 51 (11.9%) were working in other professions, etc.

Activity Status of Midwives Covered

Text Version

Of the 4 125 midwives covered, 2 848 (69.0%) had responded to the survey, while the remaining 1 277 (31.0%) had not responded. Among the respondents, 2 338 (82.1%) were active in the local midwifery / nursing profession whereas 510 (17.9%) reported to be inactive in the local midwifery / nursing profession.

Among the 2 338 active midwives, 2 300 (98.4%) were practising in the local midwifery / nursing profession, 23 (1.0%) (a) were not practising in the midwifery / nursing 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 midwifery / nursing profession during the 30 days before the survey, four (0.2%) reported having temporary sickness and the remaining 11 (0.5%) (a) were not practising in the midwifery / nursing profession in Hong Kong during the survey period; (b) had been available for work during the seven days before the survey; and (c) were expecting to return to their original jobs, waiting to take up new jobs in the local midwifery / nursing profession or starting business in midwifery / nursing profession at subsequent date during the 30 days before the survey.

Of the 510 inactive midwives, 81 (15.9%) midwives reported practising overseas / in the Mainland, 429 (84.1%) reported not practising in the midwifery / nursing profession in Hong Kong and not seeking job in the local midwifery / nursing profession during the 30 days before the survey.

Of the 429 inactive midwives, 187 (43.6%) were retired, 105 (24.5%) engaged in household duties, 69 (16.1%) wanted to take rest / having no motive to work / having no financial need, 51 (11.9%) were working in other professions and the remaining 17 (4.0%) had reported emigrated or undertaking study

Notes﹕

Figure refers to the number of responding midwives who (a) were not practising in the midwifery / nursing 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 midwifery / nursing profession during the 30 days before the survey.

†

Figure refers to the number of responding midwives who (a) were not practising in the midwifery / nursing profession in Hong Kong during the survey period; (b) had been available for work during the seven days before the survey; and (c) were expecting to return to their original jobs, waiting to take up new jobs in the local midwifery / nursing profession or starting business in midwifery / nursing profession at subsequent date during the 30 days before the survey.

‡

Figure refers to the number of responding midwives who reported emigrated or undertaking study.

Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding.

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

11 Jan 2013