Medical Council External Member Resigns to Serve as Pro Bono Lawyer in Coroner's Inquest
HK01 · 6 SOURCESabout 4 hours ago6 MIN
Summary
Lam Chi-yau, chairman of the Patient Policy Link and an external member of the Medical Council (醫委會) of Hong Kong, has resigned to serve as pro bono legal representative for the family of Chow Tin-yu in a coroner's inquest . The case involves a young girl who suffered severe medical complications during surgery at Queen Mary Hospital in 2020 and subsequently passed away in 2024 . The Medical Council had originally scheduled a disciplinary hearing against the three doctors involved for October 27, but abruptly cancelled it days before, claiming it would first await the outcome of the coroner's inquest . This decision left the girl's father, who is battling terminal cancer, feeling helpless and abandoned after waiting seven months .
Key Points
- Chow Tin-yu, a child patient with malignant rhabdomyosarcoma, suffered cardiac arrest during surgery at Queen Mary Hospital in 2020 due to a delayed blood transfusion lasting 48 minutes, rendering her a vegetative state until her death in 2024 .
- The Medical Council notified the family in March 2026 that disciplinary proceedings against the three doctors would commence on October 27, requiring Mr. Chow to testify .
- The Medical Council cancelled the disciplinary hearing just days before the scheduled date, citing the coroner's inquest, yet the family had received a coroner's court notice in September stating the inquest would proceed only after the Medical Council completed its disciplinary proceedings .
- Lam Chi-yau submitted his lawyer appointment notice to the coroner's court on October 26, and the court scheduled a pre-inquest review for November 20, with the full hearing unlikely before next year .
- Lam, who joined the Medical Council in 2018, submitted his resignation on November 4 after the council's legal opinion concluded his pro bono role created a conflict of interest; his resignation takes effect November 6 .
Why It Matters
This case highlights systemic concerns about how the Medical Council handles complaints against doctors, with its contradictory handling of the disciplinary timeline raising questions about transparency and accountability . The resignation of a patient advocate from the Medical Council underscores the broader tension between institutional interests and the pursuit of justice for patients and their families seeking accountability in medical negligence cases .
This case highlights systemic concerns about how the Medical Council handles complaints against doctors, with its contradictory handling of the disciplinary timeline raising questions about transparency and accountability . The resignation of a patient advocate from the Medical Council underscores the broader tension between institutional interests and the pursuit of justice for patients and their families seeking accountability in medical negligence cases .