Hong Kong health chief seeks to speed up Medical Council’s complaint handling

Hong Kong’s health minister is seeking to amend laws to reform and expedite the complaint system of a medical watchdog, but has warned against “arbitrarily” adding more non-professionals to the body.Lo Chung-mau said on Saturday that his bureau would table an amendment to the Medical Registration Ordinance at the Legislative Council’s panel on health services in February, with the aim of implementing it in April.The secretary for health added that the amendment would review the membership structure of the Medical Council and introduce measures to expedite its handling of complaints.The council came under scrutiny after it terminated proceedings against paediatrician Sit Sou-chi some 15 years after he was accused of a medical blunder that allegedly left a child with cerebral palsy and quadriplegia.The decision was made due to a procedural delay of 8½ years by the council’s secretariat, sparking outrage from the child’s parents. Under mounting pressure, the embattled council eventually overturned its earlier ruling in November.The Medical Council currently consists of 24 registered medical practitioners and eight lay members. Photo: Karma LoSome have also accused the council of being dominated by doctors who defend one another, calling for more lay members to be appointed.