Lawmaker Cautions Ombudsman On Hospital Probe

Pro-democracy lawmaker Kwok Ka-ki on Wednesday expressed concerns over the investigation of hospital authorities by the Ombudsman Office, saying the timing of the probe would raise doubts in some minds as the watchdog is now headed by a former top police official.

The Civic Party legislator, who is also a medical doctor, was commenting on the watchdog's decision to probe the under-utilisation of low-charge beds that two private hospitals were providing for the public sector. A former top official from the police, Winnie Chu, had taken charge as the Ombudsman recently.

"Now we all know that Winnie Chu [the Ombudsman] has been the deputy commissioner of police. I cannot know for sure what the underlining cost [of the investigation is]. But I would like to encourage the Ombudsman office to be very careful," the lawmaker, referring to a recent row between police and some medical staff over the arrest of anti-extradition protesters from hospitals.

"If they cannot take care of this worries, this important ... controversial issue squarely and fairly, the public will doubt the Ombudsman's office or any other public offices," he said.

Kwok agreed that the policy of providing low-cost beds at two private hospitals has been a “total failure” in helping low-income groups, and said high costs for additional treatments was the main reason.

He also blamed the low utilisation of bed spaces on poor arrangements, where referred patients need to be transferred back to public hospitals to receive additional examinations.

Kwok encouraged the government to consider more subsidies for patients on long waiting lists, such as those queuing for joint replacement surgery.