- 79
Reply:
The Government is fully aware of the operation of the Medical Council of Hong Kong.
(a)
(b)
During the past three years, that is in 1992, 1993 and 1994, the Medical Council received a total of 126, 134 and 170 complaint cases respectively.
The three types of complaint cases most frequently received in the past three years, as classified by the nature of the complaint, are as follows:
I.
Disregard of professional responsibilities to patients
229
II.
Advertising
29
III.
Untrue or misleading medical certificates
28
(c)
Individual cases of professional misconduct under the category of "Disregard of professional responsibilities to patients" varies from "wrongly advising the patient of the diagnosis or the disease he is suffering from" to "failing to provide a medical report or information on request of patient".
Over the past few years, the Medical Council has made considerable progress in enhancing the transparency of its work. All its disciplinary inquiries, except for cases where special circumstances pertain, are now open to the public.
Apart from disseminating information of public interest regularly through the media and professional groups, the Council's representatives will also brief the press on the work and major decisions of the Council as and when necessary.
In addition, information leaflets in both languages on the Medical Council and its processing of public complaints on professional misconduct are also available in the Secretariat of the Medical Council for members of the public.
With regard to complaints, complainants are now given full reasons as far as possible when their complaints have been dismissed.
End/Wednesday, July 19, 1995