Hospital Authority
Encyclopedia
Public hospital
A public hospital or government hospital is a hospital which is owned by a government and receives government funding. This type of hospital provides medical care free of charge, the cost of which is covered by the funding the hospital receives....
s and institutes in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
. It is managed by the Hospital Authority Board and is under the monitor of the Secretary for Food and Health
Secretary for Food and Health
The Secretary for Food and Health is a ministerial position in the Hong Kong Government, who heads the Food and Health Bureau...
of the Hong Kong Government. Its chairman is Mr. Anthony Wu, who is also the chair of BFRC, and a member of HKGCC.
History
Before the establishment of the authorityAuthority
The word Authority is derived mainly from the Latin word auctoritas, meaning invention, advice, opinion, influence, or command. In English, the word 'authority' can be used to mean power given by the state or by academic knowledge of an area .-Authority in Philosophy:In...
, all health
Health
Health is the level of functional or metabolic efficiency of a living being. In humans, it is the general condition of a person's mind, body and spirit, usually meaning to be free from illness, injury or pain...
and medical issues were under the management of the Medical and Health Department. In 1990, a new health administration
Health administration
Health administration or healthcare administration is the field relating to leadership, management, and administration of hospitals, hospital networks, health care systems, and public health systems...
system was introduced. The department became the Department of Health
Department of Health (Hong Kong)
Hong Kong's Department of Health is responsible for healthcare policies and the provision of basic healthcare services. The public hospitals are managed by the Department's Hospital Authority...
and in 1991, the management of all the public hospitals was passed to a new statutory body, the Hospital Authority, which was established in 1990 under the Hospital Authority Ordinance. In 2003, the General Outpatient Clinics of Department of Health were transferred to the Authority.
2008 milk contamination
On the day when a Hong Kong girl was diagnosed as the territory's first victim of the 2008 Chinese milk scandal2008 Chinese milk scandal
The 2008 Chinese milk scandal was a food safety incident in the People's Republic of China, involving milk and infant formula, and other food materials and components, adulterated with melamine....
, anxious parents were frustrated to discover that doctors at the special unit set up at the Princess Margaret Hospital
Princess Margaret Hospital, Hong Kong
Princess Margaret Hospital or PMH is a hospital in south Kwai Chung, near Lai Chi Kok, Hong Kong. It is a major hospital mostly serving Kwai Tsing District and managed by Hospital Authority...
were taking the day off. Deputy Director of Health Gloria Tam said that it was "not something so urgent that it needs to be dealt with in 24 hours... They can go during office hours tomorrow". Medical sector legislator Leung Ka-lau said the lack of daily cover during the crisis was "insensitive". While the first victim left hospital after successful treatment one day later, two more children were admitted to hospital on 22 September; the Hospital Authority was reportedly overwhelmed when over 100 parents demanding check-ups for their children at Princess Margaret amids confusion about referrals and registration procedures, causing Secretary for Food and Health
Secretary for Food and Health
The Secretary for Food and Health is a ministerial position in the Hong Kong Government, who heads the Food and Health Bureau...
, York Chow
York Chow
York Chow Yat-ngok , GBS, SBS, MBE, JP, is the Secretary for Food and Health of Hong Kong. He is a member of the Executive Council. He was appointed as Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food in 2004. The position has since been renamed to Secretary for Food and Health from reshuffling in...
to grovel for having underestimated the problem. Chow pledged 18 additional facilities around Hong Kong would be operational the next day.