Health Secretary Discusses Medical Registration Ordinance Amendments with Hong Kong Medical Council Members

Secretary for Health meets with MCHK on amendment to Medical Registration Ordinance

The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, met with members of the Medical Council of Hong Kong (MCHK) today (February 4) to have in-depth exchanges of views on the amendment to the Medical Registration Ordinance.

As a statutory body established under the Ordinance, the MCHK regulates the medical profession in accordance with the powers conferred by legislation, including handling the registration of medical practitioners, overseeing the Licensing Examination, formulating professional codes and guidelines, and conducting disciplinary inquiries into complaints involving professional misconduct of medical practitioners. Hong Kong's medical profession has long enjoyed an esteemed reputation globally. Maintaining doctors'professional standards forms an important part of the MCHK's work. To ensure that the legislation for healthcare professions keeps pace with the times and meets societal needs and the public interest, the Government needs to review the Ordinance from time to time and propose amendments as necessary, with a view to enabling the MCHK to discharge its statutory functions more effectively, including its function in handling complaints.

Professor Lo said, "The MCHK shoulders the statutory duty of maintaining the professional standards of doctors, playing pivotal roles in ensuring doctors'professional conduct, continuously enhancing professional standards, and supporting Hong Kong's development as an international health and medical innovation hub. I am pleased to note the continual adjustments and enhancement of the MCHK's work in response to new trends in healthcare development in recent years. These include issuing ethical guidelines on the provision of services to patients through telemedicine by doctors to meet societal needs, and fully supporting the Government's policy to admit non-locally trained doctors by establishing the Special Registration Committee to assess medical qualifications from different places. To date, a total of 150 medical qualifications from different places have been recognised.

"The MCHK upholds the mission of ensuring justice, maintaining professionalism and protecting the public. Vested with independent quasi-judicial functions and powers to impose disciplinary sanctions through disciplinary proceedings on doctors whose professional standards or ethical conduct fall short of the required standards, the MCHK has a statutory responsibility and the powers to protect patients' interests. The intent behind this legislative amendment to the Ordinance is to enhance the efficiency of the MCHK's complaint handling, while maintaining professionalism and fairness, and to enhance doctors' professional standards. I am grateful to members of the MCHK for offering their valuable advice on further enhancing transparency and accountability in the work of the MCHK by drawing on their own experience participating in the work of the MCHK. The Government will consider the views received holistically in finalising the legislative proposal, including clarifying various implementation details."

The Health Bureau (HHB) noted that the MCHK recognised that handling complaints against doctors was crucial to safeguarding professional standards, and had been striving to address bottlenecks in the complaint handling process in recent years. Under the leadership of its Chairman, Professor Grace Tang, the MCHK has implemented measures since end-2024 to improve efficiency in handling complaints. These measures include taking stock of all cases pending inquiry, prioritising and expediting their handling, and co-ordinating with legal representatives and expert witnesses for better support; enhancing the complaint handling information system; and strengthening the Secretariat's monitoring of case progress to closely track the time taken at various stages of the process.

In response to public concern last year about the MCHK's investigation and disciplinary inquiry mechanism for handling complaints, the MCHK has reviewed the mechanism earlier at the request of the Secretary for Health and submitted a report to the HHB on improving the mechanism's operation to safeguard doctors'professional standards. Meanwhile, to ensure continuous enhancement of healthcare professional standards in support of Hong Kong's determination to develop into an international health and medical innovation hub, the HHB announced earlier to amend the Ordinance, having regard to the report's recommendations and the operational needs of the MCHK, targeting to introduce a bill to the Legislative Council (LegCo) in the first half of this year.

In January this year, the HHB consulted patient groups, the two local medical schools, the Hong Kong Academy of Medicine, the Hong Kong Medical Association and various medical professional associations on the amendment to the Ordinance. The HHB will brief the Panel on Health Services of the LegCo shortly on the proposed directions and enhancement proposals for the Ordinance.

Source: AI-found images

CHP investigates case of invasive meningococcal infection

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (February 4) is investigating a case of invasive meningococcal infection, and reminds the public to maintain good personal and environmental hygiene at all times to minimise the risk of contracting this serious disease.

The case involves a 64-year-old male with underlying illnesses. He presented with redness, swelling and pain over both his calves on January 26 and developed a fever on the following day. He attended a private hospital on the same day and was admitted for treatment. His blood specimen tested positive for Neisseria meningitidis upon laboratory testing. The clinical diagnosis was meningococcaemia.He is now in a stable condition.

An initial investigation revealed that the patient had no travel history during the incubation period. His household contact has remained asymptomatic so far and has been prescribed preventive drugs. The CHP's investigation is ongoing.

Meningococcal infection is a statutory notifiable disease. The CHP has recorded one case this year so far. A total of 11 cases were recorded last year.

Meningococcal infection is caused by a bacterium known as meningococcus. It is mainly transmitted by direct contact with respiratory secretions, including droplets from the nose and throat, of infected persons. Severe illness may result when the bacteria invade the bloodstream (meningococcaemia) or the membranes that envelop the brain and spinal cord (meningococcal meningitis). Meningococcaemia is characterised by a sudden onset of fever, an intense headache, purpura, shock and even death in severe cases. Meningococcal meningitis is characterised by high fever, severe headache, stiff neck followed by drowsiness, vomiting, fear of bright light, or rash; it can cause brain damage or even death.

To prevent meningococcal infection, members of the public are advised to take the following measures:

Wash hands with liquid soap and water properly, especially when they are soiled by respiratory secretions, e.g. after sneezing, and clean hands with alcohol-based handrub when they are not visibly soiled;

Cover the nose and mouth when sneezing or coughing, hold the saliva with a tissue, dispose of nasal and mouth discharge in a lidded rubbish bin, and wash hands immediately;

Avoid crowded places;

Avoid close contact with patients who have a fever or severe headache;

Consult doctors about meningococcal vaccination before travelling to high-risk areas; and

Seek medical advice if you become ill after returning from high-risk areas, and discuss your recent travel history with your doctor.

The public may visit the CHP'swebsitefor more information on meningococcal infection.

Source: AI-found images