Hong Kong police, Hospital Authority agree to improve communications after tensions between staff over handling of anti-extradition bill protesters

Force and authority had a meeting at police headquarters after relations between frontline health care staff and officers recently worsened

Police had pulled officers from posts at two hospitals, saying it was to shield them from hostility, including verbal abuse from hospital staff

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Dr Chung Kin-lai (left) and Rebecca Lam speak to the press after their meeting on Friday. Photo: Nora Tam

Published: 10:03pm, 28 Jun 2019Updated: 11:08pm, 28 Jun 2019

Hong Kong police and the operator of the city’s public hospitals on Friday agreed to boost communications amid tensions between staff of both sides over the handling of anti-extradition bill protesters, but the force was silent on when it would send officers back to their posts at two institutions.

The force and Hospital Authority had a meeting on Friday afternoon at police headquarters in Wan Chai after relations between frontline health care staff and officers recently worsened.

Earlier this week, a group of medical and legal professionals accused police officers of harassing hospital staff and arresting protesters who were visiting accident and emergency departments for treatment.

The force then pulled officers from police posts at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Yau Ma Tei and Yan Chai Hospital in Tsuen Wan on Wednesday and told them to patrol the vicinity instead. It defended the move, saying it was to shield officers from hostility, including verbal abuse from hospital staff.

The force pulled officers from the police post at Yan Chai Hospital. Photo: Edward Wong

Police said some health care workers had called officers “dogs” and “rogue cops”.

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