The District Health Centre (DHC) Pain Management Programme continues to enhance its services. Effective immediately, value-added physiotherapy services have been expanded to District Health Centres and DHC Expresses across all 18 districts in Hong Kong, providing residents with more comprehensive pain management support.
Since January this year, the Programme has progressively introduced direct-access physiotherapy services for individuals suffering from low back pain and pain associated with knee osteoarthritis. Eligible residents may receive assessment and treatment directly from physiotherapists at designated District Health Centres without requiring a doctor's referral.
Since May, the direct-access physiotherapy value-added service has been further rolled out in phases to additional District Health Centres and DHC Expresses. The service now covers a wide range of common musculoskeletal pain conditions, including neck pain, shoulder pain, elbow pain, hand and wrist pain, hip pain, and foot pain. The service has now been expanded to District Health Centres and DHC Expresses throughout all 18 districts of Hong Kong.
To access the service, eligible residents are required to register as members of a District Health Centre, enrol in the Electronic Health Record Sharing System (eHealth), and be matched with a family doctor. Healthcare professionals at the DHCs, including nurses, physiotherapists, and occupational therapists, will conduct an initial assessment for members in need. Based on individual circumstances, members may be referred to physiotherapy services or other appropriate services, such as Nurse Clinic, Occupational Therapy, Nutrition Consultation, or Chinese medicine services.
For more information, please visit the District Health Centre / DHC Express website:
