Hong Kong Extends Cross-Boundary Ambulance Transfer Pilot Scheme to Zhuhai and Nansha Hospitals Starting November 9

Pilot Scheme for Direct Cross-boundary Ambulance Transfer in GBA to be extended to Zhuhai and Nansha on Sunday

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government announced that the Pilot Scheme for Direct Cross-boundary Ambulance Transfer in the Greater Bay Area will be extended to designated hospitals in Zhuhai and Nansha from November 9 (Sunday), marking a new phase of the Pilot Scheme.

In his Policy Address in September this year, the Chief Executive has announced the extension of the cross-boundary ambulance transfer arrangements with the governments of Guangdong and Macao in an orderly manner, including expansion to cover designated hospitals in Zhuhai and Nansha, as well as two-way transfers. To ensure the smooth implementation of relevant arrangements, the HKSAR Government, in collaboration with the People's Government of Zhuhai Municipality and the Nansha District People's Government of Guangzhou Municipality, conducted drills in September and October respectively to assess the simulated transfer of patients under the cross-boundary ambulance arrangements. The drills were conducted smoothly in general. The Pilot Scheme will be extended to Zhuhai People's Hospital and the Nansha Division of the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, starting from November 9.

The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, said, "With the high degree of integration among cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) and frequent travelling of residents between different cities in the GBA for living and working, there is an increasing demand for the cross-boundary transfer of patients in a point-to-point mode. The extension of the Pilot Scheme will help enhance the medical collaboration in the GBA, offering patients a safer, more timely and convenient transfer arrangements.

"The arrangements for direct cross-boundary ambulance transfer in the GBA involve cross-boundary travelling of vehicles, healthcare personnel, drugs and medical devices, and more. I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to various national ministries, including the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, the National Health Commission and the General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China, for their support and guidance which contributed to the smooth extension of the arrangements. I would also like to thank various authorities of the People's Government of Guangdong Province, the People's Government of Zhuhai Municipality, the Nansha District People's Government of Guangzhou Municipality and the People’s Government of Shenzhen Municipality for their concerted efforts in maintaining proactive communication and close collaboration on the arrangements for direct cross-boundary ambulance transfer. In addition, I would like to thank a number of HKSAR Government departments and organisations, including the Security Bureau, the Transport and Logistics Bureau, the Hong Kong Police Force, the Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department, the Immigration Department, the Transport Department, the Department of Health and the Hospital Authority, for their full co-operation."

The Pilot Scheme was launched on November 30 last year, with the implementation of direct cross-boundary ambulance transfer of patients from designated sending hospitals in Shenzhen and Macao (i.e. the University of Hong Kong - Shenzhen Hospital and the Conde S. Januario Hospital of Macao) to designated public hospitals in Hong Kong in its first phase. As at early November this year, a total of 17 patients (11 from Shenzhen and six from Macao) had been successfully transferred to designated public hospitals in Hong Kong for treatment. According to professional medical assessments, patients of the above cases have a need for continuous hospitalisation for treatment. Their conditions were relatively stable, but they were unable to cross the boundary on their own and were unsuitable for transfer to an ambulance via the existing boundary control points. The risk during transfers can be significantly reduced if patients are not required to be handed over between ambulances at boundary control points, and the arrangements fully demonstrated the continuous deepening of quality healthcare collaboration and development in the GBA. The overall operation of the Pilot Scheme has been smooth since its implementation, and it will be extended for one year until November 29 next year.

The governments of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao will continue to review the effectiveness and operational experiences of the existing transfer arrangements, with the medical needs, safety and interests of patients as the prime concerns, as well as to press ahead with the objective of extending the cross-boundary ambulance transfer arrangements to two-way transfers as set out in the Policy Address, aiming for implementation early next year.

Source: AI-found images

Re-launch of Reporting Scheme for Unauthorised Building Works in New Territories Exempted Houses

Following the direction of earlier proposals, the Buildings Department (BD) announced today (April 1) the re-launch of the Reporting Scheme for Unauthorised Building Works (UBWs) in New Territories Exempted Houses (NTEHs). The reporting period will last for one year from April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027.

"In view of the history and unique circumstances of the NTEHs (commonly known as village houses), the Government launched a one-off administrative reporting scheme in 2012 as a special arrangement. Under the scheme, owners could report to the BD about UBWs that were erected before June 28, 2011, posed lower risks or constituted less serious contravention of the law. The reporting period ended in December 2012. The Development Bureau (DEVB) put forward proposals to amend the Buildings Ordinance in December 2024, which included rationalising the policy for handling UBWs. The DEVB also pointed out that in response to the views of villagers and Legislative Council members that the reporting period was too short, the Government prepared to re-launch the Reporting Scheme to allow owners who at that time did not report their UBWs to do so," a spokesman for the BD said.

Relevant stakeholders and Legislative Council members generally considered the above proposals practical and feasible, and they welcomed the proposals. The DEVB and the BD have also consulted Heung Yee Kuk on the relevant implementation arrangements.

The re-launched Reporting Scheme will maintain the original criteria, including:

(1) The types of UBWs that can be reported and their erection dates are the same as the original Reporting Scheme, meaning that only UBWs erected before June 28, 2011, posed lower risks or constituted less serious contravention of the law and were not the First Round Targets (Note) are eligible. Examples include signboards projecting from the external walls of village houses; enclosed rooftop structures with a coverage of not more than 50 per cent of the roofed-over area of the main building.

(2) Same as the original Reporting Scheme, owners are required to conduct safety inspections on the reported UBWs every five years.

"The BD will not require the immediate removal of the reported UBWs unless their structures become obviously dangerous. Regarding UBWs in village houses, the BD is prioritising the handling of First Round Targets. If any relevant UBWs remain not reported after the application deadline of March 31, 2027, the BD will, after dealing with the First Round Targets, take priority enforcement action against the non-reported UBWs. The BD will formulate enforcement strategy for the reported UBWs at a later stage in accordance with the risks and the actual situation," the spokesman added.

To enhance the efficiency of processing applications, reports must be submitted via the electronic platform on the BD's website by technically competent persons or registered professional engineers appointed by owners. In accordance with the user-pays principle, an administrative fee of $600 is payable for each application. Upon successful reports, owners must also pay the relevant administrative fee when conducting safety inspections of the reported UBWs every five years.

Details of the re-launched Reporting Scheme are available on the BD's website at https://www.bd.gov.hk/en/safety-inspection/ubw/UBW-in-new-territories-exempted-houses/index_relaunch_reporting_scheme.html; Villagers who wish to report can call 2626 1616 for enquiry. The BD will also use different channels such as distributing leaflets and posters to Rural Committees to enable villagers to know more about the re-launch of the Reporting Scheme.

Owners who had successfully participated in the Reporting Scheme in 2012 are not required to submit reports again. However, they must continue to comply with the requirements of the original Reporting Scheme, including conducting safety inspections of the reported UBWs every five years, submitting safety certificates and paying administrative fees to the BD.

Note: The First Round Targets refer to UBWs with higher potential risks and more serious nature, such as village houses of four storeys or more, and enclosed rooftop structures covering more than 50 per cent of the roofed-over area.

Source: AI-found images