Opinion

To deal with Hong Kong’s mental health struggles, increasing manpower is not enough

The city must review and adjust health and social services, especially for ethnic minorities, and increase mental health education in schools and counselling in communities

Importantly, we all have a part to play in creating a caring and empathetic society

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People attend a seminar organised by the district office on how to deal with negative emotions caused by social tragedies, at the Sham Shui Po Kaifong Welfare Advancement Association, on June 7. Photo: Elson Li

Paul Yip is the founding director of the Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention at the University of Hong Kong, and a professor at the university's Department of Social Work and Social Administration.

Published: 6:15am, 14 Jun 2023

After the recent tragic events involving people who appeared to be struggling with mental health issues, the Hong Kong government has taken prompt action, asking the Health Bureau’s Advisory Committee on Mental Health to look at issues related to the model for psychiatric, rehabilitation and support services as well as manpower needs.

While addressing the manpower shortage in health services is important, it is equally critical to comprehensively review Hong Kong’s mental health and related services, to address the crux of the challenge in order to improve and sustain the mental health of the population.

Prevention is more effective and cost-efficient than treatment after illness has developed. To properly address the mental health needs of our community, we need to examine public services at the macro level. The authorities should address four aspects: increasing the number of healthcare staff, improving the matching and allocation of resources, nurturing individual resilience, and creating a caring and empathetic society.