Speech by Acting CS at Hospital Authority Convention 2026 Opening Ceremony
Following is thespeech by the Acting Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Cheuk Wing-hing, at the Hospital Authority Convention 2026 Opening Ceremony today (May 11):
Deputy Director-General Li Wei (Deputy Director-General of the Office of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs of the National Health Commission),Chairman Fan (Chairman of the Hospital Authority, Mr Henry Fan),Secretary CM Lo (Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau),Chief Executive Libby Lee (Chief Executive of the Hospital Authority, Dr Libby Lee), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
Good morning. It is a great pleasure to welcome you to the Hospital Authority Convention this year, marking the Convention's 30th edition.
In keeping with the landmark anniversary, this year's event features a record-high 75 sessions throughout the three-day Convention, according us with the precious opportunity to hear from some 210 distinguished speakers joining us from all over the world.
The Convention's scientific programme will focus on the Hospital Authority's core values, namely: people-centred care, professional service, committed staff and teamwork. Plenaries, symposiums and special sessions in the next three days include healthcare and health technology advances, data-driven and evidence-based clinical practices, sustainable healthcare, research and clinical excellence, medical education, non-communicable diseases, global talent and a great deal more.
As President Xi Jinping has said, "Health is the most important indicator of people's happiness." To bring "happiness" to all, the Government will continue to embrace innovation in healthcare and medical services, while expanding co-operation in the Greater Bay Area (GBA) and beyond, advancing the goal of a "Healthy China".
In the furtherance of this strategy, we have been taking forward a number of initiatives. For example, the GBA Clinical Trial Collaboration Platform and the Real-World Study and Application Centre were set up last December. The Platform enables pharmaceutical companies to conduct trials simultaneously in Hong Kong and Shenzhen, accelerating clinical trials for rare-disease drugs, high-end cancer drugs and such advances as gene therapies; while the Centre aims to promote the standardisation of clinical data across the GBA.
Going forward, we will set up the Hong Kong Centre for Medical Products Regulation by the end of this year. The Government will enact legislation to empower the Centre to regulate Western and Chinese medicines and establish a statutory framework for the regulation of medical devices, supporting Hong Kong's rising role as an internationally recognised regulatory authority for medical products.
Furthermore, the Government will implement "primary evaluation" for new drug registration in phases, beginning this year. We will also expedite the "1+" mechanism for new drugs, piloting priority evaluation and approval of innovative drugs with urgent clinical use recommended by the Hospital Authority. Our goal is to accelerate patient access to the most advanced treatments.
To achieve this goal, the Hospital Authority will soon establish an Office for Introducing Innovative Drugs and Medical Devices to identify the needs and benefits of innovative drug treatments for local patients. The Office will liaise with manufacturers of innovative drugs and medical devices, promoting the "1+" mechanism for registering drugs and medical devices that are cost-effective and beneficial to patients.
The Hospital Authority is the cornerstone of Hong Kong's healthcare system, providing about 90 per cent of our city's healthcare services. It has achieved high international levels of healthcare quality and plays a pivotal role in both local and national health and medical development.
The Hospital Authority champions the advancement of smart hospital development and nurturing a smart workforce. It is applying artificial intelligence in clinical workflow, from tomography imaging analysis and digital pathology to simultaneous interpretation services for consultations. AI is also being used to provide clinical-decision support and early detection of disease deterioration, as well as to improve the accuracy of cancer diagnoses and streamline treatment planning.
The Hospital Authority is also making significant strides in the internationalisation of national hospital accreditation standards. To date, four public hospitals in Hong Kong have gained accreditation to China's International Hospital Accreditation Standards, with more in the pipeline. The Hospital Authority has also established chest pain centres and stroke centres in accordance with national accreditation standards.
The Hospital Authority continues to invest in its greatest asset: its people. The Mainland Healthcare Talents Visiting Programmes flourish in Shanghai and Beijing, in cities across the GBA and throughout the Mainland. Our Global Healthcare Talent Scheme also offers exchange opportunities for professional enhancement. Through collaboration and exchanges, we are building a resilient healthcare future.
This year marks the beginning of the country's 15th Five-Year Plan. I am confident that the Hospital Authority, with its much-celebrated achievements, will continue to strengthen its services and work with the Government in drawing up Hong Kong's first five-year plan.
Last but not least, my thanks go to the Hospital Authority for its continuous commitment to its mission of "Helping People Stay Healthy" and for organising this meaningful Convention. Ladies and gentlemen, I wish you all a stimulating, rewarding experience at the Convention and a pleasant stay in Hong Kong.Thank you very much.
The Acting Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Cheuk Wing-hing, speaks at the Hospital Authority Convention 2026 Opening Ceremony today (May 11). Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Hospital Authority Convention brings together 9 000 healthcare professionals worldwide to share knowledge on clinical advances
The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
The Hospital Authority (HA) Convention 2026 begins today for three consecutive days (May 11 to 13) at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, in both in-person and online formats. More than 9 000 local, Mainland and overseas healthcare professionals and academics, together with approximately 200 distinguished speakers will exchange professional insights, clinical advances and experience on various healthcare topics, achieving record-high participation levels.
The HA Convention this year is focusing on the HA's core values, namely People-centred Care, Professional Service, Committed Staff and Teamwork, with topics on healthcare development and sustainability, chronic disease management, cancer treatment, palliative care and advance directives. Other sessions will include topics on the application of artificial intelligence and robotics in healthcare, personalised medicine, medical training, advance care planning, medical-social collaboration and preparedness for major events, with the aim of promoting modernised healthcare service models and facilitating exploration and discussion of contemporary concepts among healthcare professionals and stakeholders.
The convention opening ceremony was officiated this morning by the Acting Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Cheuk Wing-hing; the Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau; the HA Chairman, Mr Henry Fan; and the HA Chief Executive, Dr Libby Lee. The Deputy Director-General of the Office of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs of the National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China, Ms Li Wei, delivered a speech on behalf of Vice-Minister of the National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China Professor Zeng Yixin, congratulating the successful convening of the Convention.
In his welcome address, Mr Fan said that the HA has committed to maintain sustainability of public healthcare service through reform. Over the past year, the HA has made steadfast progress in taking forward numerous reform initiatives, with the successful implementation of public healthcare fees and charges reform from January 1, 2026 standing as a top priority. The reform has had far-reaching impact by rationalising resource allocation, reducing wastage and misuse, and enhancing support for patients.
"Since the implementation of the public healthcare fees and charges reform, achievements had been made in utilisation of Accident and Emergency (A&E) services and in enhancing patient protection. There has been an overall decrease of about 10 per cent in attendances at the A&E departments, with a significant drop of 22 per cent in non-urgent cases, enabling A&E departments to focus their resources on patients with emergency needs. As of the end of April, the number of patients approved for fee waiver has significantly increased to over 224,000, which is 16 times the annual figure prior to the reform. The annual overall medical expense cap of HK$10,000 introduced by the HA has also received nearly 3 000 applications, demonstrating that the reform has effectively reallocated resources to comprehensively enhance protection for the 'poor, acute, serious and critical' patients."
Mr Fan said that the HA has made significant progress in promoting "patient centric" services. Since the establishment of Task Groups on Enhancing Patient centric Services at each hospital in 2023, every hospital has introduced various initiatives that place patients at the centre of attention. These include the recently announced enhancement to visiting arrangements, under which visiting hours at all rehabilitation and palliative wards of non-acute wards have been extended to nine hours, while all paediatric wards are now open around-the-clock. Eligible patients may even have their pets visit them as well. In addition, the number of HA Go mobile app users has now reached over 3.5 million, enabling more patients and their carers to conveniently access public hospitals services and manage their personal health.
Mr Fan continued, "Apart from 'patient centric' services, the pursuit of service excellence lies at the very core of the HA. To date, four public hospitals have obtained national healthcare standards accreditation, and a total of seven acute hospitals are expected to complete accreditation by next year. The HA is also establishing chest pain centres and stroke centres in accordance with national accreditation standards at public hospitals, with Queen Mary Hospital, Prince of Wales Hospital and Tuen Mun Hospital taking the lead, in a continuous effort to enhance professional standards and service quality."
Delivering her keynote address at the opening ceremony, "Forging a New Era of Service Excellence in Public Healthcare", Dr Lee shared her vision on realising service excellence and driving the sustainable development of public healthcare services. "In the face of rapid population ageing and an increasingly complex environment, the Five-Year Plan for 2026 to 2030 – Hong Kong's first aligned with the National 15th Five-Year Plan – provides the HA with a clear strategic coherence. It marks a decisive shift in healthcare service, which is a shift from quantity to quality, and from reactive medicine to proactive health management."
Dr Lee stated that the mission under this new era must evolve its focus from the mere pursuit of "clinical excellence" to the realisation of true "service excellence", delivering the right care, at the right time, in the right place, grounded in empathy and sustained by efficiency. She added, "To achieve service excellence, we must redesign healthcare service model. Through three purpose-built pathways, services will be categorised into acute care, high-efficiency procedures, and community-based support, enabling greater seamless integration of healthcare service and ensuring that each patient's needs are met with the right level of precision and support."
Under the acute care pathway, the HA is scaling specialised centres across clusters to treat patients with acute and critical conditions, and strengthening the "Golden Hour" protocols at Chest Pain Centres and Stroke Centres. The newly established Neuroscience Centre will concentrate on managing complex neurological care, ensuring more consistent delivery of optimal care for patients.
Under the high-efficiency procedures pathway, the Central Dispensing Hubs are leveraging automation technology to manage high-volume medication packing, streamlining complicated medication dispensing workflows and enabling seamless delivery of medications directly to patients' homes. This allows pharmacists to focus on high-value clinical consultations and patient care.
Under the community-based support pathway, the HA is redesigning service models and will collaborate with community partners to prioritise the expansion of community, ambulatory, and home-based support, ensuring seamless continuity of support upon patient discharge. This approach will both free up hospital capacity for acute patients and shorten waiting times for admissions and follow-up appointments.
Dr Lee described the HA as moving towards a new era of smart hospitals and digitalisation, necessitating investment in augmented intelligence to improve clinical outcomes. The HA has deployed AI-assisted diagnostics to support radiologists in detecting subtle abnormalities, predictive tools to identify and anticipate patients at risk of clinical deterioration, and surgical planning tools to optimise operating theatre utilisation.
In addition, through the integration of HA Go mobile app, Smart Hospital initiatives, and workflow reengineering, the patient journey has been further simplified. From outpatient appointment booking and registration, real-time waiting time tracking, payment, to collecting medications without queuing, and receiving follow-up arrangements and health education information, everything can be easily managed via mobile devices, reflecting the spirit of patient centric service. Dr Lee emphasised that cybersecurity has become a clinical safety imperative in the course of digital transformation, and the HA remains committed to ensuring the rigorous protection of patient data.
In support of the Government's initiative to establish Hong Kong as an International Health and Medical Innovation Hub, the HA is strengthening its collaboration with universities to leverage clinical data for medical research. Concurrently, through the Government's new "1+" mechanism, the HA is partnering with technology and pharmaceutical sectors to co-develop new drugs, medical devices and care models, while ensuring that affordability and global standards are built into the design of every new treatment.
In conclusion, Dr Lee said, "The measure of our success lies not in how sophisticated our healthcare system is, but in whether patients in the bed feel seen, whether the carers feel supported, and whether our staff take pride in the work they do. This is what true service excellence means. Healthcare is not only science and systems; it is embodied in the spirit of every healthcare professional who is willing to go the extra mile. It is the very spirit that has enabled the HA to build a solid foundation over the past 35 years and to continue moving forward." She expressed confidence that with the dedication and commitment of all members of the HA and the support of global partners, the HA will continue to pursue excellence, safeguard public health, and collectively shape a more sustainable future for the public healthcare system.
The Hospital Authority (HA) Convention 2026 begins today for three consecutive days (May 11 to 13) in both in-person and online formats. Photo shows the HA Chairman, Mr Henry Fan, delivering a welcome address at the opening ceremony of the Convention. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
The Hospital Authority (HA) Convention 2026 begins today for three consecutive days (May 11 to 13) in both in-person and online formats. Photo shows the HA Chief Executive, Dr Libby Lee, delivering her keynote address, "Forging a New Era of Service Excellence in Public Healthcare", at the opening ceremony of the Convention. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
The Hospital Authority Convention 2026 begins today for three consecutive days (May 11 to 13) in both in-person and online formats. Photo shows the Acting Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Cheuk Wing-hing, delivering a welcome address at the opening ceremony of the Convention. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
The Hospital Authority Convention 2026 begins today for three consecutive days (May 11 to 13) in both in-person and online formats. Photo shows the Deputy Director-General of the Office of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs of the National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China, Ms Li Wei, delivering a speech on behalf of Vice-Minister of the National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China Professor Zeng Yixin, to congratulate on the successful convening of the Convention. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
The Hospital Authority Convention 2026 begins today for three consecutive days (May 11 to 13) in both in-person and online formats. More than 9 000 local, Mainland and overseas healthcare professionals and academics, together with approximately 200 distinguished speakers, will exchange professional insights, clinical advances and experience on various healthcare topics, achieving record-high participation levels. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
