Government drafts bill to reform Medical Council
發佈日期: 2026-03-15 19:42
TVB News
The government is currently drafting a bill to reform the Medical Council.
Secretary for Health Lo Chung-mau stated that caps will be set on the number of times that expert witnesses can submit reports and members can reschedule meetings.
If these targets aren't met, replacement of personnel will be considered.
The plans for shake-up came after a complaint involving a child with cerebral palsy that dragged on 15 years.
To expedite medical complaints, the government has proposed requiring the Medical Council to set certain procedural limits.
Speaking on TVB News programme, Secretary for Health Lo Chung-mau shared further details.
"Can we set a report submission deadline when expert witnesses agree? Say for one month, two months, or even three months, rather than waiting indefinitely.
Furthermore, a specific timeframe should be set for panel members to schedule a hearing."
These timeframes will be decided by the Medical Council. Would there be any consequence for those who fail to meet the targets?
Lo said that the authorities might consider replacing members who are deemed "incompetent."
However, he noted that there are existing civil service mechanisms to address serious negligence by administrative or legal personnel.
When asked how much faster the overall complaint-handling process can be expected, the health chief said it would be unreasonable for the Health Bureau to set rigid deadlines or targets.
The government aims to present the bill to the Legislative Council in the first half of the year.
