Hong Kong to replace, not punish, underperforming Medical Council members

Hong Kong authorities have proposed replacing Medical Council members who underperform rather than punishing them as part of an overhaul following a public outcry over a 15-year delay in an alleged medical blunder inquiry.Secretary for Health Lo Chung-mau also said on Sunday the government had no plans to impose rigid deadlines for each stage of complaint handling by the quasi-judicial body, saying the requirement was “asking the impossible” and the council would “be required to” set time frames on its own.The Ombudsman previously criticised the council for its excessively long complaint processes, highlighting 11 cases that had been stuck in limbo for more than a decade.During a televised interview, Lo revealed details of the overhaul to be included in an amendment bill of the Medical Registration Ordinance, which will be presented to the Legislative Council in the first half of the year.“We may replace certain personnel [of the council] if they fail their duty. However, for members of the Medical Council, there would not be any punishment because they are not paid for this role, but are simply volunteers,” he said.As for civil servants who underperformed, they would be dealt with under existing mechanisms, he said.