XN000022-1990-07-30 — Page 2

MONDAY, JULY 30, 1990

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HSD TO SET UP EXPERT GROUP ON SAFE USE OF MEDICAL GAS

IN

A SPECIAL EXPERT GROUP IS BRING SET UP BY THE HOSPITAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT (HSD) TO ADVISE ON THE SAFE PRACTICE ANAESTHESIOLOGY AND WILL HOLD A MEETING WITHIN THIS WEEK, A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY (MONDAY).

BRING

THE GROUP, TO BE CHAIRED BY A CONSULTANT ANAESTHETIST, TOGETHER THE TOP EXPERTS IN THE FIELD FROM THE THE SUBVENTED SECTORS AND THE ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS.

GOVERNMENT

WILL

AND

THEY WILL LOOK INTO THE SAFE PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE IN THE USE

OF MEDICAL GAS IN HOSPITALS, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

PATIENT CARE,

HE SAID THAT AS THIS IS TO DO WITH

THE GOVERNMENT ATTACHES GREAT IMPORTANCE TO THE INCIDENT INVOLVING THE USE OF NITROUS OXIDE AT THE CARITAS MEDICAL CENTRE. A FULL-SCALE INVESTIGATION IS NOW UNDERWAY.

WAS

"ACTION, BOTH ON INVESTIGATION AND PRACTICABLE PREVENTIVE

WERE TAKEN BY THE GOVERNMENT IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE HSD MEASURES, ALERTED LAST FRIDAY (JULY 27) AFTERNOON TO THE INCIDENT.

"THE HSD PROMPTLY DREW THIS то THE ATTENTION OF ALL GOVERNMENT, SUBVENTED AND PRIVATE HOSPITALS URGING THEM ΤΟ EXERCISE EXTRA CARE IN THE ADMINISTRATION OF ANAESTHETIC, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

Ir

CONCURRENTLY, THE SUPPLIER, HONG KONG OXYGEN AND ACETYLENE CO. LTD, WAS INFORMED OF THE INCIDENT AND HSD OBTAINED AN ASSURANCE FROM THE MANAGEMENT THAT ITS STAFF WOULD BE CONDUCTING EMERGENCY CHECKS ON ALL CYLINDERS IN BACH HOSPITAL.

THE SPOKESMAN POINTED OUT THAT HSD HAS BEEN IN CLOSE LIAISON WITH THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT (FSD), THE AUTHORITY FOR GAS SAFETY,

GASES TO TO ENSURE THE CORRECT LABELLING AND SAFE SUPPLY OF MEDICAL ALL HOSPITALS.

ADDRESSING CONCERN OVER POSSIBLE SIMILARITIES BETWEEN THE LATEST INCIDENT AND THE CASE INVOLVING A

AND MIX-UP OF OXYGEN NITROGEN, THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE CIRCUMSTANCES WERE DIFFERENT.

THE

"THE PRESENT

PREVIOUS CASE INVOLVED THE CENTRAL SUPPLY SYSTEM WHILE CASE INVOLVED AN INDIVIDUAL CYLINDER ATTACHED TO AN ANAESTHETIC MACHINE.

"THE WORKING PARTY TO REVIEW THE SAFETY SYSTEM AND PROCEDURES OF THE HONG KONG OXYGEN AND ACETYLENE CO. LTD, SET UP IN THE FSD AFTER

UNFORTUNATE THE

CASE INVOLVING THE OXYGEN

HAS MIX-UP, COMPLETED ITS REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS ARE BEING STUDIED GOVERNMENT.

ALREADY BY THE

"THE RECOMMENDATIONS