“We used to rely on contractors to carry out maintenance works on high-risk medical equipment [without supervision by biomedical engineers], but these incidents made us realise the importance of strengthening supervision,” said Dr Tony Ko Pat-sing, chief executive of the authority.

Hong Kong hospitals ‘should use tech to inspect facilities, increase checks’

Ko also said the current practice of having each building inspected once every three years was not ideal. “Internal staff members should take over the work, and carry out more frequent checks based on the age and conditions of buildings,” he said.

The Post has contacted Getinge, the company responsible for maintaining the surgical light at the centre of the earlier incident, for comment.

The panel – comprising experts in fields such as surveying, engineering and corporate communications – provided a list of 23 suggestions after a three-month review of the current management system for repair and maintenance works.

Ko pledged to implement the committee’s suggestions as soon as practicable, without providing a time frame, adding that some efforts were already under way.

Committee chairman Wan Man-yee said the number of biomedical engineers at the authority should be doubled to meet the significant demand in supervising works on equipment by contractors. Currently, 15 biomedical engineers work for the authority.

Wan said about 351,000 cases of repairs were carried out annually across the 43 public hospitals.

“It is not ideal that the biomedical engineers are preoccupied with the procurement of equipment, and have no time to supervise the repair and maintenance work [by contractors].”

He suggested further centralising procurement work and major maintenance contracts at the authority’s headquarters, allowing the engineers to focus on supervision tasks and receive relevant training.

Wan, who linked the spate of incidents to ageing buildings and facilities, as well as the interruption to regular maintenance during the pandemic, added that hospitals should also properly document equipment manuals to aid the supervision works.

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On the other hand, the committee suggested that general building maintenance, separate to equipment work, should be handled internally without relying on contractors.

Wan said about 740 staff members worked in facility management across the authority’s hospitals, and they should take part in the building maintenance works, citing their “stronger sense of ownership”.

“They should keep a close eye on areas that are prone to water leakage, which would subsequently increase the risk of concrete spalling. They should also frequently check high-risk places, treating the hospital like their own homes.”

Among the 300 buildings managed by the authority, over half were completed more than three decades ago. Some buildings are more than 85 years old.

Compared with external contractors, in-house facility staff would find it easier to accommodate the maintenance schedule, Wan added.

But Ko said there would not be a hard indicator of how frequently vulnerable facilities should be checked, considering the unique nature of every case.

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He said a safety committee would be set up in every hospital to overlook supervision of repair and maintenance work, with the committee chaired by each facility’s chief.

Noting the difficulty in boosting the number of biomedical engineers in a short time, Ko said technology would be used to increase the efficiency of detecting structural defects.

Dr Ching Wai-kuen, the authority’s strategy and planning director, said infrared scanners and moisture meters were among the tools being used to aid conventional methods of inspections.

The authority is working with Polytechnic University to test the application of advanced sensors and radars in areas prone to water leakage, including kitchens and washrooms, to facilitate early detection of concrete spalling risks.

Lawmaker Chan Hoi-yan, who sits on the legislature’s health services panel, argued it was illogical for the authority to spend extra money to hire engineers to supervise contractors.

She said it should instead explore the possibility of terminating the contract or even asking for compensation that was stipulated in the deal.

She said she believed stricter terms and punishment should be introduced to contracts to strengthen the deterrent effect.

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Chan added the authority should have a stronger sense of crisis, and report incidents to the public within a reasonable period if the safety of frontline workers and patients was threatened, noting it had a track record of delay in public disclosure.

Patients’ rights advocate Tim Pang Hung-cheong of the Society for Community Organisation expressed wishes that the authority could provide a concrete timetable for when the suggestions could be implemented, aside from the pledge of “as soon as possible”.

Meanwhile, the authority is also set to enhance its internal reporting and public disclosure mechanism. Each incident will have to be reported to the management according to a new guideline and assessed for the needs of public disclosure.