Queen Mary Hospital New Building: All 28 Elevators Must Be Fully Safe Before Acceptance, HA CEO Declares
AM730 · 2 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago7 MIN
Summary
The Hospital Authority confirmed on September 24 that corrective work on the troubled elevator system at Queen Mary Hospital's new Clinical Block 1 is underway and currently under testing, with the goal of completing the process within this year . The new building, designed to accommodate future clinical development, has been under scrutiny after 24 of its 28 elevators were found to have operational issues stemming from structural deviations in elevator shaft walls . A registered engineer involved in the project has already been convicted of two summons charges following a trial . Hospital Authority CEO Dr. Lo Ha-yin reiterated at a press conference after the HA Board meeting that patient safety is non-negotiable, and the building will only be accepted once all 28 elevators are confirmed to operate safely .
Key Points
- The new Clinical Block 1 at Queen Mary Hospital features 28 elevators, with 24 experiencing operational failures due to structural deviations in the elevator shaft walls
- The Electrical and Mechanical Services Department prosecuted the registered engineer involved, who was convicted of two summons charges after trial
- Hospital Authority CEO Dr. Lo Ha-yin (李夏茵) confirmed that all corrective work has been completed and elevators are now under testing
- The target is to have all 28 elevators operational and safe within this year before the building is accepted
- Existing hospital services have not been suspended; however, the delay will impact future clinical development plans spanning the next 5 to 10 years
- Dr. Lo apologized to patients, noting the hospital's current facilities are old, with wards being cramped and dilapidated
- Regarding potential design modifications, Dr. Lo clarified that while the overall external dimensions of the elevator system might be reduced, the internal space will remain unchanged to accommodate hospital beds
- The HA will evaluate the specific impact on clinical development after officially accepting the building and may allocate additional resources to catch up on planned expansions
Why It Matters
The elevator issue at Queen Mary Hospital's new clinical facility underscores the challenges of modernizing aging public healthcare infrastructure in Hong Kong while maintaining rigorous safety standards. The HA's insistence on absolute safety before acceptance signals a zero-tolerance approach to patient welfare, even at the cost of delayed service expansion in one of the city's major teaching hospitals that serves a significant patient population in the Southern District.
The elevator issue at Queen Mary Hospital's new clinical facility underscores the challenges of modernizing aging public healthcare infrastructure in Hong Kong while maintaining rigorous safety standards. The HA's insistence on absolute safety before acceptance signals a zero-tolerance approach to patient welfare, even at the cost of delayed service expansion in one of the city's major teaching hospitals that serves a significant patient population in the Southern District.