The Glaucoma Public-Private Partnership Programme (Glaucoma PPP) is launched by the Hospital Authority (HA) in 2019 with aims to provide choice to patients for receiving private specialist services in the community, help the HA manage demand for specialist services and test the model of delivering specialist care via public-private partnership.

All private ophthalmologists practising in the territory are now welcome to participate in this Programme as participating service providers (PSPs). Clinically stable glaucoma patients currently taken care of by HA Ophthalmology Specialist Outpatient Clinics (SOPCs) will be invited for voluntary participation.

Each participating patient will receive up to four subsidised consultations per year including specified glaucoma drugs; and investigation services of up to one Visual Field (VF) test and one Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) scan per year to be provided by the PSP.

Under the Programme, participating patients only need to pay the same fee as for HA SOPC services. Currently, it is $250 per subsequent attendance, $20 per drug item (4 weeks as chargeable unit), and $250 per investigation service. Those who are recipient of Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA), a holder of valid full medical fee waiver certificates issued by authorized Hong Kong Government or Hospital Authority social workers, Old Age Living Allowance Recipients aged 75 or above, level 0 voucher holder of Residential Care Service Voucher (RCSV) for the elderly, HA Staff & Dependent, and Civil Service Eligible Person will enjoy the same fee waiver arrangements as for the HA’s services. Under mutual agreement, patients may receive further services and treatment at their own expenses. Those who have participated in the Elderly Health Care Voucher Scheme can meet such additional charges from their Health Care Voucher accounts.

For service provision, PSPs may receive a maximum service fee of $5,350 per patient per year covering a maximum of four consultations, one VF test and one OCT scan, including the HA SOPC fee to be paid by patients to PSPs after each consultation. For CSSA and waiver patients, HA will bear the SOPC fees.