The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The Hospital Authority (HA) Chief Executive, Dr Leung Pak-yin, today (May 10) announced the setting up of an independent panel to conduct a comprehensive review on the current Sentinel and Serious Untoward Event Policy, while expressing concern towards the serious untoward event announced by United Christian Hospital (UCH) yesterday (May 9).
 
     "We admit there were omissions in the drug prescription for the patient and also unnecessary delay in the open and public disclosure arrangements. As a public organisation, the HA has always strived to be open and accountable in the disclosure of patient safety incidents of public interest," Dr Leung said, adding that it was an opportune time to conduct a comprehensive review on the HA's Sentinel and Serious Untoward Event Policy, which has been implemented for 10 years.
 
     "We have sought and obtained the support of the HA Chairman, Professor John Leong, today to set up a panel to look into the further enhancement and compliance of the Policy, especially on the timeliness of open and public disclosure.
 
     "In the meantime, we will also invite an independent clinical expert from a university to join the root cause analysis investigation panel established by UCH to look into the incident with a view to avoiding future recurrence of similar incidents in public hospitals," Dr Leung added.
 
     The HA Coordinating Committee in Internal Medicine has been developing a guideline on use of antiviral prophylaxis for hepatitis B carriers receiving immunosuppressive therapy which is currently under review by experts. For the interim period, the draft guideline is also being circulated to front-line clinical units for information and necessary action. Once endorsed, it will be promulgated for implementation in the HA.
 
     On behalf of the HA, Dr Leung apologised to the patient and her family as well as the general public for the management of the incident. He appealed to the public for their continuous support for organ donation. He also pledged that the two hospitals, Queen Mary Hospital and UCH, would continue to provide the necessary support to the patient and her family.

Ends/Wednesday, May 10, 2017
Issued at HKT 18:45

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