Jan 2003
With the passing of the Special Resolution of Voluntary Winding up of Hong Kong Doctors Union Limited in the Extraordinary General Meeting held on 28th November 2002, we have taken almost two years to successfully transform the previous Estate Doctors Association (EDA) which deals mostly with allocation of Public Estate Clinics by Ballot to the present Trade Union, Hong Kong Doctors Union (HKDU), with new missions of upgrading our Professional Image and protecting our Doctors’ Rights. The Hong Kong Doctors Union Limited will be dissolved within six months if everything is in order.
Thanks to your support, there is an encouraging increase in the number of members from 1,500 of the previous EDA in 2000 to now 1,800 of the HKDU with a lot of new faces. Such increase in the number of members does stir up the Council’s spirit of serving our colleagues better. I do imagine that in the future when we work together, speak in one same voice, ride on the same boat, and when we fight with the members, for the members, and by the members, our Union will become stronger and more united than before.
Undoubtedly, we have witnessed a lot of changes in the Medical Scene recently and do anticipate that there are a lot more to come. It is time to assure that we get ready to face the many new challenges ahead in the New Year.
The Medical Council Reform is a major issue in the Medical arena in the past two years, it will take a few more years to complete the legislation before the Reform is implemented. On the issue of Mandatory CME, you can be assured that your Union will firmly oppose by whatever means in the interests of our members and to work out details of the alternative proposal that we have submitted to the Medical Council. Together with your support, the direction of our mission will be shaped. One piece of good news for you is there will be definitely a change in the Chairmanship of the Medical Council of Hong Kong, hopefully the Medical Council under the new leadership will turn out to be more democratic towards doctors.
Other important information from the Medical Council such as the revised Guidelines on the Use of Dangerous Drugs, the revised structure and functions of the Preliminary Investigation Committee, and the setting up of the new Discipline Committee deserve your utmost attention.
Over the past few months, we have warned colleagues in the private sector of clinic robberies and “injection” gangs, thus similar crimes were prevented as a result. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those members who have reported those crimes to HKDU so that we could promulgate to members promptly. Recently a member is being investigated by the ICAC for “writing” dates on Medical Vouchers when the patients are not actually physically present in Hong Kong. So, beware, there are a lot of people like the Insurance Agencies, HMOs, Patients’ concern groups etc whom are eager and happy out there to dig out our faults.
This Bulletin indeed improves our Union’s recording of functions and helps upgrading our image. It may also turns out to be an effective means of soliciting more support for the Union both financially and spiritually. We would be most delighted to receive letters or responses from members on matters of common interest for publication in the Forum of the Bulletin. After all, the Bulletin belongs to you all!
Apart from the support of the Government’s Professional Services Development Assistance Scheme to our Sunday Afternoon Symposia, the Union is applying recently to the Beat Drugs Fund to get funding for a symposium on “Update on Psychoactive substance abuse in Hong Kong and the use of Dangerous Drugs to Medical Practitioners” in September this year. The Medical Protection Committee is working hard to formulate a new Medical Protection Plan for our members to counteract the uncontrolled 60% or more premium increment by some Medical Protection Scheme in town. The Doctors’ Rights and Autonomy Committee met representatives of the Patients’ Concern Group and Consumer Council to further collaborate on producing a “Joint Declaration of Doctor Patient Co-operation” instead of simply Doctors’ Rights as we have suggested previously. The Private Public Interface Committee is working hard on collaboration with the Hospital Authority; one major thing for the Union to consider is whether we should tender to operate those privatized Government Outpatient Clinics. You will be informed of the progress of such important issues from time to time. Comments are always welcome from our members.
Finally, Happy New Year!
Dr. Yeung Chiu Fat Henry
2002年11月28日特別會員大會中通過了香港西醫聯會自動清盤議案後，經過差不多兩年，我們終於成功地由主力抽籤分配公共屋邨診所的前新邨西醫協會(EDA)銳變為今天以提昇醫生專業形象及保障醫生權益為使命的工會，香港西醫工會。如無意外，香港西醫聯會將會於六個月後解散。
感謝大家的支持，會員按月遞增，由前EDA 的1,500會員到現在香港西醫工會的1,800會員，增加了不少新血。會員人數激增鼓舞會董會士氣，就像打了強心針，鬥志高昂更加倍努力替同業們服務。我憧憬著當大家攜手同心協力，同聲疾呼，同舟共濟時，當我們和會員們並肩作戰替會員奮鬥爭取時，我們的工會必會日益強大，比前更團結。
無疑最近我們曾見到醫學界很多的變化，而且預料會有更多接踵而來。現在讓我們把握時機，作好準備迎接新年後更多的新挑戰吧！
近兩年來醫學界主題是醫委會的改革，有關法例將會在後年才推行。至於強制性進修方面，請放心，你的工會將用盡辦法為著會員的利益去反對到底，而且會按照我會提交與醫委會的反建議提出，再研究出細節。大家對我們的繼續支持，塑造和指導著我們將來的使命。有一個好消息，現任香港醫務委員會主席行將卸任，希望屆時在新的主席領導下，醫委會對醫生會較為民主。
其他重要消息包括新的更改過的危險藥物指引，醫委會的初級偵訊小組，更改過的功能與架構和成立新的紀律小組均與你有切身關係，均值得你緊密關注。
最近數月我們曾警告私家醫生同業關於打劫診所和「打針黨」的存在，結果防止了同樣罪案的發生。容我藉此機會感謝通知我們工會的會員，才令我們及早通知大家。最近有會員因簽發病假，而病人卻當時不在港而遭廉政公署調查。故此急請大家小心，外面實有許多保險公司，HMOs，病人權益組織等正磨拳擦掌，吼緊機會，捉你痛腳。
新的會刊更清楚詳盡地列明各進修項目，而且提高了我們的形象，同時，更有效地替工會賺取精神上和經濟上的支持。工會會刊是大家的，我們很樂意和很希望獲得大家踴躍投稿，共同分享興趣方面的資訊與意見。
除了申請獲得政府的「專業發展資助計劃」，而贊助了最近一個星期天學術研討會，我們更向「禁毒基金」爭取資助於2003年8月或9月舉行研討會，題目為"香港精神科葯物濫用的新知與危險葯物的運用"。醫生專業保障小組則正努力創造一個新的醫療專業保障計劃來對付某些專業保險失控的60%加價。醫生權益與自主小組曾跟病人權益協會、消費者委員會繼續商討研製一個「醫生病人合作共同宣言」，如先前已提過是取代單指醫生權益。公私合作小組正忙於跟醫管局商討合作；工會主要事項為決定工會應否參與投標經營私有化後的政府門診部。各事的進展，會盡快給大家報導。大家的意見我會是無任歡迎的。
楊超發醫生