Hong Kong authorities intend to reform the city’s medical watchdog by raising the proportion of lay members to more than a third and requiring the time frames set for handling complaints to be made public, the South China Morning Post has learned.
The proposed amendments to the Medical Registration Ordinance follow a 15-year delay in the Medical Council’s handling of a complaint against Dr Sit Sou-chi, who was accused of a blunder that left a boy permanently disabled in 2009.
The case was terminated last year on the grounds that the procedural delay prevented a fair hearing, but the council made a U-turn and resumed the inquiry in April following a public outcry.
“The reform aims to uphold the professional autonomy while enabling the Medical Council to perform its functions more effectively, and it would strengthen the transparency and the accountability of the watchdog,” a source close to the policymaking process told the SCMP.
The insider said that the amendment bill would be submitted to the Legislative Council in about two weeks, and authorities began briefing lawmakers and other relevant parties on Wednesday.
Under the proposed amendments, the composition of the council, which currently comprises 24 doctors and eight lay members, would be revamped, the source said.