The Residential Care Homes (Elderly Persons) Ordinance (Cap. 459, Laws of Hong Kong) and the Residential Care Homes (Elderly Persons) Regulation (Cap. 459 sub. leg. A) came into full implementation on 1 June 1996, to ensure that residents in residential care homes for the elderly (RCHEs) receive services of acceptable standards that are of benefit to them physically, emotionally and socially. Under the Ordinance, all RCHEs in Hong Kong must be operated with a licence in accordance with the licensing requirements relating to management and staffing, facilities and equipment, location, structure and design of the premises, building safety, fire precautions, health and sanitation.
The Residential Care Homes Legislation (Miscellaneous Amendments) Ordinance 2023 (Ord. No. 12 of 2023) (the Amendment Ordinance) was gazetted on 16 June 2023 to enhance the monitoring and quality of residential care homes. The majority of the Amendment Ordinance will come into effect from 16 June 2024 whereas the requirements in relation to staffing and area of floor space per resident will be implemented in phases.
For further details, you may click here linking up to the Social Welfare Department website.
