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SCMP Editorial

The deadly severe acute respiratory syndrome epidemic in 2003 touched the lives of everyone in Hong Kong one way or another.
A health official whose career came to be defined by it is retiring as chief executive of the Hospital Authority.
When Sars broke out Dr Leung Pak-yin was deputy director of health.
Afterwards the government appointed him as first controller of the Centre for Health Protection, a new agency conceived in the wake of the epidemic to focus on disease prevention and control.

The centre remains a key element in safeguarding public health against the transmission of disease.
Thanks to his background, Leung then became the obvious choice to lead the response to a rash of medical blunders at public hospitals as director of quality and patient safety at the Hospital Authority.
He succeeded Australian Shane Solomon as chief executive of the authority nine years ago.
If his stated priorities then – to tackle manpower shortages, staff morale and long working hours – sound familiar, it is because he admits they remain to be met today, as they do in many other places.
But he also says some progress has been made – not necessarily a modest achievement in a system that treats 90 per cent of patients with 40 per cent of doctors, being short of 350 at any one time, in its 43 hospitals.

Workload pressure prompted a forum this year between doctors and health chiefs and a street protest by nurses, which resulted in measures such as extra work allowances and improved promotion pathways.
Hopefully progress will continue, with 530 medical students to be trained this coming academic year compared with 250 10 years ago.
Outgoing hospitals boss says trust and transparency key to success
That said, Leung’s successor Dr Tony Ko Pat-sing, the authority’s director of cluster services, will inherit the same staff problems.
Suspicions that some staff leaked information about extradition bill protesters to police have done nothing to bolster public trust and confidence. This calls for a continuing review of internal management practices and compensation mechanisms.
How is Hong Kong responding to growing measles outbreak in Asia
All sides in recent political conflict – and his successor – may do worse than reflect on Leung’s parting advice on governance: “Trust is important … If there isn’t sufficient trust, it is hard to implement policies.”


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Hong Kong employee insurance costs to jump 15% amid surge in day procedures: study

Hong Kong healthcare and hospitals

Sars tragedy shaped rise of hospitals chief

Retiring Chief Executive of the Hospital Authority, Dr Leung Pak-yin Leung. Photo: Jonathan Wong

(L-R) Dr Tony Ko Pat-sing, chief executive of hospitals in New Territories West. and Dr Que Tak-lun, head of the hospital's department of clinical pathology meet the media to announce an incident concerning a deviation of diagnostic analyser. Picture taken at Tuen Mun Hospital. 22JUL15

WITH YEAR HONG KONG (FILES) Hong Kong Health officials (white) escort residents (blue) to E block of Amoy Gardens housing estate 08 April 2003 wearing masks and gowns to clean-up after an outbreak of a killer pneumonia virus led to the residents being quarantined. A terrifying mystery virus that left hundreds dead followed by spectacular protest rallies against a controversial security law made 2003 a year to forget for Hong Kong's unpopular leader. AFP PHOTO/Peter PARKS

Trust and transparency key to success in governance, says outgoing boss of Hong Kong Hospital Authority

Leung Pak-yin, the outgoing CEO of the Hospital Authority, talked to the press about his nine years in charge and his 34 years in the public health sector. Photo: Jonathan Wong

This image shows doctors at Prince of Wales Hospital in Sha Tin.  24AUG18 SCMP /  Fung Chang

Medical professionals hold protest signs during the meeting between public sector doctors, government and Hospital Authority arranged by Hong Kong Public Doctors' Association and Frontline Doctor's Union at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Yau Ma Tei. 26JAN19 SCMP / Felix Wong

Measles in Hong Kong: how the city is responding to the growing outbreak across Asia

Airport security staff at the Hong Kong International Airport wear face masks during the measles outbreak. Photo: Felix Wong

(FILES) In this file photo taken on February 18, 2018 Filipina workers returning home from Kuwait arrive at Manila International Airport. Kuwait and the Philippines signed a deal on May 11, 2018 to regulate domestic workers, after a dispute between the two countries led to a ban on Filipino workers in the Gulf state."A short time ago we signed an agreement between the two countries on the employment of domestic workers," Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah al-Khaled al-Sabah told a joint press conference with his Filipino counterpart Alan Peter Cayetano. / AFP PHOTO / NOEL CELIS

Measles vaccination arrangement photographed at the Hospital Authority, Staff Clinic at Tang Shiu Kin Hospital, Wan Chai. The number of measles cases in the city have reached 36. 01APR19 SCMP / Sam Tsang

Airport staff (including the Cathay Pacific Airways flight attendants) queue up for the measles vaccination at the airport. Airport staff complained about confusion over measles vaccination arrangment by the Centre of Health Protection. An outbreak of measles has infected three more workers at the city’s airport. 01APR19 SCMP / Felix Wong

People at the Hong Kong International Airport in Chek Lap Kok wear face masks as an outbreak of measles has infected three more airport workers at the city’s airport. 01APR19 SCMP / Felix Wong

Heartfelt appeals and an apology on day Hong Kong health chiefs meet 100 doctors over deadly flu crisis

The doctors make their feelings known at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Yau Ma Tei. Photo: Felix Wong

Hong Kong Public Doctors' Association, Frontline Doctor's Union hold the Public Doctors' appeal meeting at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Yau Ma Tei. 26JAN19 SCMP / Felix Wong

Image of busy doctors on duty at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Yau Ma Tei. 26JAN19 SCMP / Felix Wong

Opinion

It all comes down to trust, says departing health official who took top job after battling epidemic, heading new disease prevention agency and tackling medical blunders


Wellness

Disease

World Health Organization (WHO)

Flu in Hong Kong

Expresses the views, ideas and conclusions of the author. (Eg. Enough of Crazy Rich Asians, think of crazy poor Hongkongers.)


Column

Editorial

.css-1m2rp1p{color:#34b8b5;}Editorial | Sars tragedy shaped rise of hospitals chief

.css-1mniedq{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;}It all comes down to trust, says departing health official who took top job after battling epidemic, heading new disease prevention agency and tackling medical blunders

Editorial | Sars tragedy shaped rise of hospitals chief

It all comes down to trust, says departing health official who took top job after battling epidemic, heading new disease prevention agency and tackling medical blunders