Government received report from MCHK to improve complaint handling mechanism
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The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, said, "Healthcare professions uphold professional autonomy premised on the trust of members of the public. As the statutory regulatory body of the medical profession, the MCHK is empowered under the Medical Registration Ordinance (MRO) to handle registration and disciplinary matters of medical practitioners and bears the main responsibility to uphold the professional standard and ethical conduct of doctors. Members of the MCHK must actively discharge their duties and fulfil their mission of ensuring justice, maintaining professionalism and protecting the public, to maintain public trust in the medical profession."
Professor Lo added, "The Health Bureau is examining the MCHK’s report in detail and will request the MCHK to provide clarifications and further information regarding its content, including the MCHK's monitoring mechanism over the progress of the Preliminary Investigation Committee and Inquiry Panel in handling complaints, as well as their respective roles in monitoring case progress. If the MCHK raises any comment on the performance of its Secretary in providing administrative support, the Department of Health will conduct an investigation based on the content of the MCHK's report, including whether to commence disciplinary proceedings against individual staff members. The Government will announce the next phase of work at an appropriate juncture."
The Health Bureau will introduce amendments to the MRO in response to the recommendations of the report and based on the operational need of the MCHK, targeting to introduce an amendment bill into the Legislative Council in the first half of next year. The Health Bureau will begin consultation work with the sector and stakeholders next month on amending the MRO and enhancing the MCHK's complaint handling mechanism and will meet with stakeholders such as professional organisations and patient groups to listen to their views.
Ends/Wednesday, December 24, 2025
Issued at HKT 16:30
Issued at HKT 16:30
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