Trust and transparency key to success in governance, says outgoing boss of Hong Kong Hospital Authority
- Leung Pak-yin is stepping down after nine years as chief executive and 34 years in public health sector
- Leung admits problems remain but believes progress has been made over staff shortages and low morale at city’s public hospitals
The outgoing boss of the managing body of Hong Kong’s public hospitals has admitted staff shortages and long working hours are problems that remained unsolved, but said progress had been made.
Dr Leung Pak-yin, who retires next month after spending nine years as the Hospital Authority’s chief executive, also said a review of a now-suspended hospital accreditation programme, which many frontline staff said created extra work, did not come on time.
At a time when the city is divided over the extradition bill, Leung highlighted one of his key working principles as he talked to the media about his 34 years in the public health sector.
“Trust is important to anyone who does governance in an organisation or a place,” the 60-year-old said. “You need to gain the trust of the others … if there isn’t sufficient trust, it is hard to implement [policies].”
During a crisis in which trust between health care staff and patients has been shaken, after some public hospital staff were suspected to have leaked information of protesters to police, Leung said it was hard to comment on whether the relationship between the government and the public had reached a nadir, and why overall dissatisfaction in society had been ongoing.