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Statistics

2011 Health Manpower Survey

Summary of the Characteristics of Physiotherapists Enumerated

I.  Physiotherapists Covered

1.1  The physiotherapists covered in the 2011 HMS were physiotherapists registered with the Physiotherapists 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 physiotherapists covered was 2 257.

1.3    Of the 2 257 physiotherapists covered, 1 490 had responded to the survey, giving an overall response rate of 66.0%.  Among the respondents, 1 322 were economically active*† (active) in the local physiotherapy profession as at 31.3.2011 and 168 reported to be economically inactive*‡ (inactive)   in the local physiotherapy profession (Chart A) .

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

‡  “Economically inactive” physiotherapists comprised the physiotherapists who were not practising in the physiotherapy 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”.

1.4    Of the 1 322 active physiotherapists, 1 316 were practising in the local physiotherapy profession, three were seeking jobs and three were waiting to take up new job in the local physiotherapy profession during the 30 days before the survey.  The survey results presented in paragraph 1.6 below were based on the 1 316 responding physiotherapists who were practising in the local physiotherapy 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 168 inactive physiotherapists, 60 reported practising overseas, seven reported practising in the Mainland and 100 reported not seeking job in the local physiotherapy profession during the 30 days before the survey (Chart A) .  Among the 100 inactive physiotherapists who reported not seeking job, the main reasons reported for not seeking jobs included: 49 (49.0%) were working in the other professions, 16 (16.0%) wanted to take rest / having no motive to work / having no financial need, 15 (15.0%) were engaged in household duties and 10 (10.0%) were retired.

Chart A : Activity Status of Physiotherapists Covered

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Of the 2 257 physiotherapists covered, 1 490 (66.0%) had responded to the survey, while the remaining 767 (34.0%) had not responded. Among the respondents, 1 322 (88.7%) were active in the local physiotherapy profession whereas 168 (11.3%) reported to be inactive in the local physiotherapy profession Among the 1 322 active physiotherapists, 1 316 (99.5%) were practising in the physiotherapy profession, three (0.2%) (a) were not practising in the physiotherapy 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 physiotherapy profession during the 30 days before the survey and the remaining three (0.2%) (a) were not practising in the physiotherapy profession in Hong Kong during the survey period; (b) had been available for work during the seven days before the survey; and (c) were waiting to take up new jobs in the local physiotherapy profession during the 30 days before the survey. Of the 168 inactive physiotherapists, 100 (59.5%) reported not practising in the physiotherapy profession in Hong Kong and not seeking job in the physiotherapy profession during the 30 days before the survey, 60 (35.7%) physiotherapists reported practising overseas, seven (4.2%) reported practising in the Mainland and the remaining one (0.6%) (a) was not practising in the physiotherapy 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 physiotherapy profession during the 30 days before the survey. Of the 100 inactive physiotherapists, 49 (49.0%) reported working in other professions, 16 (16.0%) wanted to take rest / having no motive to work / having no financial need, 15 (15.0%) were engaged in household duties, 10 (10.0%) were retired and the remaining 10 (10.0%)* had other reasons for being inactive. Notes: * Figure refers to the number of responding physiotherapists who reported undertaking study, etc. Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding.

1.6    Eight active physiotherapists did not indicate their sex.  Of the remaining 1 308 active physiotherapists enumerated, 526 (40.2%) were male and 782 (59.8%) were female, giving an overall sex ratio (males per 100 females) of 67.  Apart from 15 physiotherapists who did not indicate the age, the median age of the remaining 1 301 active physiotherapists enumerated was 36.0 years.  The median age of the active female physiotherapists enumerated was 35.0 years and that of their male counterparts was 36.0 years.

1.7    The responding active physiotherapists were requested to indicate the characteristics of their main jobs*. Distribution of the main job by sector showed that the largest proportion (42.4%) of active physiotherapists were working in the Hospital Authority, followed by those working in the private sector (32.4%), the subvented sector (19.6%), and the academic sector (3.6%) and the Government (1.4%).

1.8    The median age of the active physiotherapists enumerated was 40.0 years for those working in the Government, followed by 39.0 years for those working in the Hospital Authority, 35.5 years in the academic sector, 34.0 years in the subvented sector and 33.0 years in the private sector.

1.9    Of the 1 316 active physiotherapists enumerated, 87.8% spent most of their working time on rehabilitation, followed by 6.2% on administration / management, 2.6% on primary health care†, 2.4% on teaching and 0.7% on research.

*  Main jobs referred to the jobs in which the physiotherapists had spent most of their working time.
† Primary health care referred to the work such as health education, health promotion, etc. or the work involving patient care in the primary care setting.

1.10   The median number of hours of work (excluding meal breaks) per week of the 1 316 active physiotherapists enumerated was 44.0 hours.  Among them, 103 (7.8%) physiotherapists were required to undertake on-call duty (excluding normal duty), with a median of 4.0 hours of on-call duty (excluding normal duty) per week.

1.11   Of the 1 316 active physiotherapists enumerated, 64.5% held Bachelor’s Degree and 28.1% held Diploma / Professional Diplomas as their basic qualifications.

1.12   Of the 1 316 active physiotherapists enumerated, 1 175 (89.3%) received / were receiving additional training and 141 (10.7%) did not receive any additional training.  Of the 1 175 active physiotherapists with additional training, 29 (2.5%) had not yet completed the additional training, 763 (64.9%) held Master’s Degree, 117 (10.0%) held Diploma and 111 (9.4%) held Certificate as the highest qualification.

1.13   Of the 1 175 active physiotherapists who received / were receiving additional training, 29.4% were trained in acupuncture, 15.1% in manipulative physiotherapy, 13.7% in sports physiotherapy / sports and health sciences, 10.0% in physiotherapy, 7.7% in rehabilitation sciences / studies and 7.0% in health care management / health services management.

1.14   Of the 1 175 active physiotherapists who received / were receiving additional training, 424 (36.1%) were trained in one field of additional training. Among them, 34.0% were trained in acupuncture, 17.2% in sports physiotherapy / sports and health sciences, 10.6% in manipulative physiotherapy, 7.8% in rehabilitation sciences / studies, 7.5% in health care management / health services management and 7.3% in rehabilitation.

1.15   Regarding Continuing Professional Development (CPD) activities, 842 (64.0%) of the active physiotherapists revealed that they had participated in CPD activities in 2011, 458 (34.8%) did not participate in any CPD activities and 16 (1.2 %) did not reveal whether they had participated in any CPD activities or not.  Among the 842 active physiotherapists who had participated in CPD activities, the distribution of  CPD credits attained in the past 12 months was: 1 to 10 credits (25.1%), 11 to 20 credits (35.7%),  21 to 30 credits (16.3%), 31 to 40 credits (6.3%) and more than 40 credits (16.6%).

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   Since the enactment of the Physiotherapists (Registration and Disciplinary Procedure) Regulation (Chapter 359J) in July 1999, it is mandatory for a person practising physiotherapy in Hong Kong to hold a valid practising certificate.  Between 1996 and 2011, the number of physiotherapists increased from 782 to 2 257 (Chart B & Table A) .

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

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In the 1996 Health Manpower Survey, the number of physiotherapists covered was 782. In the 2000 Health Manpower Survey, the number of physiotherapists covered was 1 245. In the 2004 Health Manpower Survey, the number of physiotherapists covered was 1 724. In the 2005 Health Manpower Survey, the number of physiotherapists covered was 1 835. In the 2006 Health Manpower Survey, the number of physiotherapists covered was 1 933. In the 2007 Health Manpower Survey, the number of physiotherapists covered was 2 013. In the 2008 Health Manpower Survey, the number of physiotherapists covered was 2 065. In the 2011 Health Manpower Survey, the number of physiotherapists covered was 2 257. Note: Figure of 1996 refers to the number of physiotherapists reported by the responding institutions as at the 1st of July 1996. Figure of 2000 refers to the number of physiotherapists registered with the Physiotherapists Board of Hong Kong as at the 1st of July 2000, whereas the figures of 2004 to 2011 refer to that as at 31st of March of the respective years.

2.3    The sex ratio (males per 100 females) of active physiotherapists enumerated increased from 46 in 1982 to 82 in 1990 and then decreased to 67 in 2011 (Table A) .

2.4    The mean age of the active physiotherapists enumerated increased from 29.0 years in 1982 to 37.1 years in 2011.

2.5    From 1982 to 1990, the Government was the largest employer of active physiotherapists enumerated.  Since the  set up of the Hospital Authority in 1991, it has been the largest employer and the proportion of active physiotherapists working in the Hospital Authority decreased from 77.2% in 1992 to 42.4% in 2011.  On the other hand, the proportion working in the private sector increased from 11.8% in 1996 to 32.4% in 2011 (Table A) .

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

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

02 Feb 2012