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Statistics

2021 Health Manpower Survey on Medical Laboratory Technologists
Key Findings

The medical laboratory technologists covered in the 2021 Health Manpower Survey on Medical Laboratory Technologists (HMS-MLT) were medical laboratory technologists registered with the Medical Laboratory Technologists Board of Hong Kong under the Supplementary Medical Professions Ordinance (Chapter 359) as at the survey reference date of 31 July 2021, and who had provided written consent on receiving information related to HMS-MLT by post or email.

Among the 4 125 medical laboratory technologists registered with the Medical Laboratory Technologists Board of Hong Kong as at the survey reference date of 31 July 2021, 946 had consented to receive information related to HMS-MLT by post or email. The number of medical laboratory technologists covered was 946.

Of the 946 medical laboratory technologists covered, 305 responded to the HMS-MLT, giving an overall response rate of 32.2% (See Chart).

Among the 305 responding medical laboratory technologists, 258 (84.6%) were “active” *† and 47 (15.4%) were “inactive” *‡ in the local medical laboratory technology profession as at 31 July 2021 (See Chart).

Among the 258 active medical laboratory technologists, 247 (95.7%) were practising in the local medical laboratory technology profession, seven (2.7%) were seeking jobs in the local medical laboratory technology profession, four (1.6%) reported that they were available for work but had not sought work during the 30 days before the enumeration as they believed no work available in the profession; were starting business in the profession at subsequent date; or were waiting to take up new job in the medical laboratory technology profession.

The survey findings presented below were based on the 247 responding medical laboratory technologists who were practising in the local medical laboratory technology profession as at 31 July 2021. The percentages presented below may not add up to 100% due to missing responses or rounding (See Chart).

  1. All the 247 active medical laboratory technologists practising in the local medical laboratory technology profession enumerated, there were 133 (53.8%) male, 113 (45.7%) female and one (0.4%) did not indicate the gender, giving an overall sex ratio (males per 100 females) of 118. Excluding two respondents who did not indicate their age, the median age of the remaining 245 was 46.0 years (median age of female was 41.0 years and median age of male was 49.0 years).
  2. The responding active medical laboratory technologists practising in the local medical laboratory technology profession were requested to indicate the characteristics of their main jobs*. Among the 247 respondents, 103 (41.7%) of them reported as working in the Hospital Authority, 94 (38.1%) in the private sector, 25 (10.1%) in the Government, 23 (9.3%) in the academic and subvented sectors.
    3. * 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 (“active”) medical laboratory technologists included: (a) “employed” medical laboratory technologists – medical laboratory technologists practising in the medical laboratory technology profession in Hong Kong during the survey period; and (b) “unemployed” medical laboratory technologists - medical laboratory technologists who (i) were not practising in the local medical laboratory technology profession during the survey period; (ii) had been available for work during the seven days before the survey AND (iii) had sought work in the local medical laboratory technology profession during the 30 days before the survey. The respondent would be classified as “unemployed” if he / she had sought work in the local medical laboratory technology profession but had not been available for work because of temporary sickness.
    The respondent would also be classified as “unemployed” if he / she fulfilled conditions (i) and (ii) but had not sought work during the 30 days before enumeration because he / she believed that work was not available; or had made arrangements to take up a new job; or was starting business on a subsequent date; or was expecting to return to the original job in the local medical laboratory technology profession.
    ‡ Economically inactive (“inactive”) medical laboratory technologists referred to the responding medical laboratory technologists who were not practising in the medical laboratory technology profession in Hong Kong during the survey period, excluding those who were on leave during the survey period and who were “economically active” but “unemployed”.
    § Main jobs referred to the jobs in which the medical laboratory technologists had spent most of their working time.
  3. Of the 247 active medical laboratory technologists practising in the local medical laboratory technology profession enumerated, 71.3% reported spending most of their working time on medical laboratory tests, while 21.9% reported spending most of their working time on administration / management, 2.8% reported research and 2.4% reported teaching as the main area of work.
  4. The median number of hours of work per week (excluding meal breaks) of the 247 active medical laboratory technologists practising in the local medical laboratory technology profession enumerated was 42.0 hours, amongst which 47 (19.0%) were required to undertake on-call duty (excluding normal duty), with a median of 10.0 hours of on-call duty (excluding normal duty) per week.

Among the 47 inactive medical laboratory technologists enumerated (See Chart) :

  1. 43 (91.5%) reported not seeking jobs in the medical laboratory technology profession during the 30 days before enumeration. Among the 43 inactive medical laboratory technologists who reported not seeking jobs in the local medical laboratory technology profession, the main reasons included: 23 (53.5%) were working in other professions, 12 (27.9%) were retired, four (9.3%) wanted to take a rest / had no motive to work / had no financial need, two (4.7%) were engaged in household duties, one (2.3%) was emigrated and one (2.3%) was undertaking study.
  2. One (2.1%) reported practising in the Mainland.
  3. Three (6.4%) were not available for work during the seven days before the survey due to other reasons.
Activity Status of Medical Laboratory Technologists Covered

Text Version

Notes: * Figure refers to the number of medical laboratory technologists who had registered with the Medical Laboratory Technologists Board of Hong Kong under the Supplementary Medical Professions Ordinance (Chapter 359) on or before 31.7.2021, and who had provided written consent to receive information related to HMS-MLT by post or email.
† Figure refers to the number of responding medical laboratory technologists who (a) were not practising in the medical laboratory technology 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 local medical laboratory technology profession during the 30 days before the survey.
‡ Figure refers to the number of responding medical laboratory technologists who (a) were not practising in the medical laboratory technology profession in Hong Kong during the survey period; (b) had been available for work during the seven days before the survey; AND (c) had not sought work during the 30 days before enumeration because he / she believed that work was not available; or was starting business at subsequent date; or was waiting to take up a new job in the local medical laboratory technology profession.
§ Figure refers to the number of responding medical laboratory technologists who (a) were not practising in the medical laboratory technology profession in Hong Kong during the survey period; and (b) had not been available for work during the seven days before the survey due to other reasons.
# Figure refers to the number of responding medical laboratory technologists who reported undertaking study or emigrated.
Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding.

Last Revision Date : 18 Jan 2024