DH to accept applications for hospital licences under Private Healthcare Facilities Ordinance from July 2
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The Private Healthcare Facilities Bill was passed by the Legislative Council on November 15, 2018, and the Ordinance was gazetted on November 30, 2018. The new Ordinance will further protect patient safety and rights through the introduction of a new regulatory regime for private healthcare facilities (PHFs).
Four types of PHFs will be subject to regulation, namely hospitals, day procedure centres, clinics and health services establishments. The regulatory regime will be implemented in phases based on the types of PHFs and their risk levels.
From July 2 to December 31, 2019, operators of existing private hospitals currently regulated under the Hospitals, Nursing Homes and Maternity Homes Registration Ordinance (Cap. 165) and scheduled nursing homes listed in Schedule 10 to the Ordinance may apply to the DH for a hospital licence under the Ordinance. Operators of new private hospitals which have not yet commenced operation may also submit their applications for a licence under the new Ordinance starting from July 2.
Hospital licences issued under the Ordinance will take effect on January 1, 2021. By then, the regulation of private hospitals will have migrated to the new regime under the Ordinance and the repeal of the Hospitals, Nursing Homes and Maternity Homes Registration Ordinance will take effect on the same date.
Applications for licences for day procedure centres under the Ordinance will be accepted from January 2020. Details will be announced in due course. The dates for the applications for licences of clinics and health services establishments and requests for the letter of exemption in respect of clinics will also be announced later.
For more details of hospital licence application, please visit the website of the DH's Office for Regulation of Private Healthcare Facilities (www.orphf.gov.hk).
Ends/Friday, June 28, 2019
Issued at HKT 11:00
Issued at HKT 11:00
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