​Correctional officers stopped a person in custody assaulting another person in custody at Stanley Prison today (June 22). At 7.18am today, a 59-year-old male person in custody attacked a… read more
The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, led a delegation comprising representatives of the Health Bureau (HHB), the Department of Health (DH) and the Hospital Authority (HA), together with the Chairman of the Panel on Health Services of the Legislative Council (LegCo), Ms Chan Hoi-yan; and its Deputy Chairman, Dr David Lam; as well as other LegCo Members, to pay a duty visit to two Tier III Class A hospitals in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), namely ZhongShan Chenxinghai Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine (ZS CXH Hospital) and the University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital (HKU-SZH), today (June 22). This visit aimed to enable the delegation to have a better grasp of the latest services, facilities and medical standards of Tier III Class A hospitals in the Mainland and exchange views on ways to boost cross-boundary medical collaboration.
The delegation went to ZS CXH Hospital in Zhongshan in the morning. ZS CXH Hospital is the very first Tier III Class A hospital of integrated traditional Chinese and western medicine co-developed by Guangdong and Hong Kong. The hospital was among the first batch of designated healthcare institutions being allowed to use Hong Kong-registered drugs and medical devices used in Hong Kong public hospitals since 2021. It was also included in the Elderly Health Care Voucher Greater Bay Area Pilot Scheme (Pilot Scheme) this February. The delegation toured multiple departments of the hospital, including the Health Management Center, Integrated Endoscopy Center, Health Construction Administration and Rehabilitation Department, International Medical Center, Stomatology Department and 3D Printing Application Center, and had a hands-on experience on the flow of receiving medical services there. Representatives of the hospital also introduced to the delegation the healthcare and supporting services available for Hong Kong and Macao citizens, so as to deepen their understanding of the facilities, operation and service standards of a Tier III Class A hospital in the Mainland.
In the afternoon, the delegation headed to Shenzhen to visit the HKU-SZH. Operated under the model of modern management and co-operation between Hong Kong and Shenzhen, the HKU-SZH is an integrated Tier III Class A hospital which has always been the pilot trial institution and the largest platform for propelling cross-boundary medical collaboration. It is the very first GBA Mainland medical institution where Elderly Health Care Vouchers (EHCVs) can be used to pay for designated out-patient service since 2015. In 2021, the HKU-SZH was designated as the only healthcare institution to implement the measure of using Hong Kong-registered drugs and medical devices used in Hong Kong public hospitals in the GBA on a trial basis, and then became one of the first batch of designated healthcare institutions being allowed to use Hong Kong-registered drugs and medical devices used in Hong Kong public hospitals in the same year. Moreover, the hospital rolled out the Pilot Scheme for Supporting Patients of Hospital Authority in the GBA starting from last year. Having toured departments such as the out-patient pharmacy, the Department of Family Medicine and the Department of Dental Surgery in the hospital, the delegation was also briefed by the representatives of the hospital on the experience and practical arrangement in relation to the provision of cross-boundary medical services.
During the visit at the HKU-SZH, the HHB personnel also introduced the two new functions of the eHealth mobile application, namely “Cross-boundary Health Record” and “Personal Folder”, which will be launched at the HKU-SZH on a trial basis from July 15 onwards to facilitate cross-boundary medical collaboration. The “Cross-boundary Health Record” function is only applicable to hospitals outside Hong Kong that are specified and certified by the HHB to ensure the safety of citizens’ medical data. The HHB will launch the pilot at the HKU-SZH and the healthcare professionals there will be able to browse the copies of electronic health records deposited in the eHealth accounts of eligible EHCV users over the past three years, upon presentation of relevant QR codes by the elderly persons. Meanwhile, the “Personal Folder” function enables eHealth users to deposit medical records obtained during consultations in medical institutions outside Hong Kong into their eHealth personal accounts, which will facilitate the storage and usage of personal medical records obtained in and outside of Hong Kong. Under the eHealth+ development plan, the HHB will continue to spare no efforts in enhancing the portability and cross-boundary application of electronic health records in a secured and orderly manner, such that Hong Kong citizens can benefit from more coherent healthcare services.
Professor Lo said, “With the more frequent travelling to and fro the Mainland, demand of Hong Kong citizens for healthcare services in the Mainland has been on the rise, while attaching greater importance to Chinese medicine for disease prevention and treatment. Today’s exchange programme not only enhanced the delegation’s understanding of the services and operation of the Tier III Class A hospitals in the Mainland, but also increased the relevant medical institutions’ awareness of the medical needs of Hong Kong citizens, thereby facilitating the launch of cross-boundary medical collaboration in the future and provision of suitable healthcare services to Hong Kong citizens.
“The Chief Executive adopted cross-boundary medical collaboration as one of the subtitles for the first time in his 2023 Policy Address, demonstrating how deep the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government values medical collaboration with the Mainland. We will continue to press ahead with relevant measures at full steam, including the launch of the Pilot Scheme to offer eligible Hong Kong elderly persons additional options of services points for using the EHCVs in the GBA, roll-out of the Pilot Scheme for Direct Cross-Boundary Ambulance Transfer in the GBA, continuous implementation of the Pilot Scheme for Supporting Patients of Hospital Authority in GBA, as well as exploration of strategic purchasing of healthcare services from suitable GBA healthcare institutions for Hong Kong citizens. The HHB will uphold the principles of complementarity and mutual benefits to ramp up healthcare co-operation with various Mainland cities of the GBA on the premise of benefitting the development of the healthcare systems of Hong Kong and the Mainland with the objectives of enhancing the healthcare standards of the two places and pushing forward the national strategy of ‘Healthy China’ through concerted efforts.”
Professor Lo emphasised that the HKSAR Government stays committed to fulfilling the important role of safeguarding the well-being of Hong Kong citizens by continuing to provide them with quality healthcare services and will never shift the responsibility of taking care of the well-being of Hong Kong citizens to the Mainland healthcare system. He said that, in formulating cross-boundary healthcare measures, the HKSAR Government would support the healthcare needs of Hong Kong citizens who choose to pursue development and live in the Mainland, while taking into account the potential impact of the measures on the social resources and livelihood of the citizens in the Mainland.
The Permanent Secretary for Health, Mr Thomas Chan, also joined the visit programme. The delegation returned to Hong Kong in the evening.
The Home Affairs Department will continue to open 19 community halls/community centres as temporary heat shelters today (June 22).
The temporary heat shelters will remain open for people to take refuge from the heat when the Very Hot Weather Warning is in force. From 10.30pm to 8am the next day, the temporary heat shelters will also provide bedding and a sleeping place for people in need. The shelters are manned by duty attendants.
For further information, please call the department’s hotline before midnight on 2572 8427.
The heat shelters are located at:
Hong Kong Island:
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Central and Western –
Sai Ying Pun Community Complex Community Hall
3/F, Sai Ying Pun Community Complex
2 High Street, Sai Ying Pun
Eastern –
Causeway Bay Community Centre
3/F, 7 Fook Yum Road, Causeway Bay
Southern –
Lei Tung Community Hall
Lei Tung Estate, Ap Lei Chau
Wan Chai –
Wan Chai Activities Centre
LG/F, Wan Chai Market, 258 Queen’s Road East, Wan Chai
Kowloon Districts:
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Kowloon City –
Hung Hom Community Hall
1/F, Kowloon City Government Offices
42 Bailey Street, Hung Hom
Kwun Tong –
Lam Tin (West) Estate Community Centre
71 Kai Tin Road, Lam Tin
Sham Shui Po –
Shek Kip Mei Community Hall
G/F, Block 42, Shek Kip Mei Estate, Sham Shui Po
Wong Tai Sin –
Tsz Wan Shan (South) Estate Community Centre
45 Wan Wah Street, Tsz Wan Shan
Yau Tsim Mong –
Henry G Leong Yaumatei Community Centre
60 Public Square Street, Yau Ma Tei
New Territories Districts:
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Islands –
Tung Chung Community Hall
G/F, Tung Chung Municipal Services Building, 39 Man Tung Road, Tung Chung
Kwai Tsing –
Kwai Shing Community Hall
Podium, Block 6, Kwai Shing West Estate, Kwai Chung
North –
Cheung Wah Community Hall
Cheung Wah Estate, Fanling
Sai Kung –
Hang Hau Community Hall
G/F, Sai Kung Tseung Kwan O Government Complex, 38 Pui Shing Road, Hang Hau, Tseung Kwan O
Sha Tin –
Lung Hang Estate Community Centre
Lung Hang Estate, Sha Tin
Tai Po –
Tai Po Community Centre
2 Heung Sze Wui Street, Tai Po
Tsuen Wan –
Lei Muk Shue Community Hall
G/F, Hong Shue House, Lei Muk Shue Estate, Tsuen Wan
Tuen Mun –
Butterfly Bay Community Centre
Butterfly Estate (near Tip Sum House), Tuen Mun
Yuen Long –
Long Ping Community Hall
Long Ping Estate, Yuen Long
Yuen Long –
Tin Yiu Community Centre
Tin Yiu Estate, Tin Shui Wai
In addition to the above heat shelters, a number of community halls/community centres can also be used for taking refuge from the heat during their operating hours. For their address details, please browse the following document: www.had.gov.hk/file_manager/en/documents/public_services/emergency_services/List_CH_CC_Day_E.pdf. read more
The Commissioner for Census and Statistics, Mr Leo Yu, officiated at the prize presentation ceremony of the 2023/24 Statistical Project Competition (SPC) for Secondary School Students of the Hong Kong Statistical Society today (June… read more
The Auxiliary Medical Service (AMS) and Saint Francis University (SFU) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) today (June 22) to officially launch a series of academic collaborations and programmes regarding youth nurturing and development. The co-operation will allow youths to put their knowledge into practice and serve the community through education and activities such as medical and healthcare training, volunteer service, and life planning that promote a diversified development path, as well as academic collaborations which include research, sharing of information and data, and seminars.
Witnessed by the Under Secretary for Security, Mr Michael Cheuk, and the Vice-Chairperson of SFU’s Council, Reverend Joseph Yim, the MOU was signed by the Chief Staff Officer of the AMS, Mr Wong Ying-keung, and the Acting President of SFU, Professor Lo Tit-wing.
Addressing the ceremony, Mr Cheuk expressed his hope that the AMS and SFU will further foster collaboration in different academic aspects. By enriching members’ knowledge in the healthcare profession and raising their interest to join the public health sector in the future, the AMS Cadet Corps will become a cradle to nurture more healthcare professionals with quality.
Reverend Yim said he hoped that through the partnership between the two parties, young people will have more opportunities to access information about different professional industries and explore various possibilities. He also encouraged students from different backgrounds to continuously equip themselves to join professional industries in the future, realise better opportunities for upward mobility, and use their talent to contribute to society and the country.
