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Following is the transcript of remarks made by the Secretary for Food and Health, Dr Ko Wing-man, after attending a public function this afternoon (August 31):
Reporter: (on the temporary suspension of the right of Professor Yu Cheuk-man to perform complicated cardiac interventional procedures in Prince of Wales Hospital.)
Secretary for Food and Health: I think hospital management has the overall responsibility for the clinical quality and patient safety. Therefore, hospital management has the responsibility and accountability whenever there is a patient safety issue at stake. It has to take necessary action, and in this particular case, a suspension of certain clinical procedures of a particular clinician. However, it is more important for a clinical audit mechanism to find out such procedure should be undertaken by what type of clinician, with what kind of experience and accreditation.
Reporter: (on the Independent Review Committee set up by the Hospital Authority)
Secretary for Food and Health: The Independent Review Committee set up by the Hospital Authority has the representation wide enough. It looks into issues related to clinical governance, clinical audit and patient safety, and it also has the capacity to look into the handling of the complaint in this particular case.
Reporter: (on the Independent Review Committee set up by the Hospital Authority)
Secretary for Food and Health: Although the Independent Review Committee will not investigate issues related to the university itself, if there is anything related to the clinical services provision of the university and Prince of Wales Hospital, it will also look into that.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)
Ends/Saturday, August 31, 2013
Issued at HKT 20:13
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