Authors: (including presenting author): :
Ho CM(1), Chang SP(1), Jim CH(1), Wong KK(1), Fung ML(2), Lau M(3), Mo YM(4), Chan CC(5), Wong YC(4), Sin NC (6)
Affiliation: :
(1) Occupational Therapy Department, TPH (2) Occupational Therapy Department, AHNH (3) Occupational Therapy Department, SH (4) Department of Psychiatry, AHNH/TPH/NDH (5) Department of Psychiatry, PWH/SH (6) NTEC CSC(MH)
Keyword 1: :
Service model
Keyword 3: :
Occupational therapy
Keyword 4: :
Workforce competency
Keyword 5: :
Patient centric
Introduction: :
In the New Territories East Cluster (NTEC), psychiatric occupational therapy services have traditionally been hospital-based while other clusters are clustered based service. It leads to challenges such as inconsistent care, variable and prolonged waiting times, and limited staff and service development.
Objectives: :
The reorganization aims to establish a cluster-based team model to reduce variability in service delivery, maximize service capacity, and enhance workforce competency. Objectives include managing increased patient demand, reducing waiting times, improving service efficiency, elevating service quality and empowering staff.
Methodology: :
The project started in August 2024, key steps included stakeholder communication on governance structure and resources allocation, thorough project planning, and staff engagement. From April 2025, a clustered based team involving about 60 occupational therapists was established, including 4.3 senior therapists as core management team. The new structure features five subspecialty teams—each led by senior staff - focusing on inpatient care, outpatient services, community services, child and adolescent service, and psychogeriatric services. These teams develop specialized services while the management team oversees operations and training.
Result & Outcome: :
The reorganization led to standardized clinical practice and improved alignment. We significantly increased service capacity, with new outpatient cases projected to rise from 1,423 in 2022-2023 to over 2,000 in 2025-2026 (1,362 in the first eight months of 2025-2026). Waiting times reduced from an average of 20 weeks to 14 weeks. The first-to-follow-up ratio for outpatient services improved from 1:6.3 to 1:5.4. We formed working groups focusing on cognitive rehabilitation, vocational rehabilitation and lifestyle management and presented at six conferences, both locally and internationally. Staff training was enhanced through regular accredited programs on psychiatric care and risk management, attended by about 100 staff members each session; seven risk drills were completed involving over 100 attendances. We also completed 14 man-months of staff rotation to broaden skills across the cluster from April 2025 to Jan 2026.
Moving forward, maintaining effective communication with different stakeholders and staff, actively collecting patient feedback will be crucial for ongoing evaluation and service development. Additionally, monitor performance and update strategies in response to change to meet the needs of our community as one team.
