Hong Kong family of man who died after medications blunder upset over ‘unacceptable’ punishment for doctor found responsible
- Ying Kwok-keung, who had kidney failure, was prescribed the wrong medication four times before his death in 2016
- The Medical Council found Dr Mo Ho-yuen guilty of professional misconduct in April, and ordered he be removed from the doctor’s register for three months
The family of a patient with kidney failure who died after being given the wrong medication has called the punishment handed to the Hong Kong doctor responsible “too light and unacceptable”.
Dr Mo Ho-yuen, who runs a private clinic, was found guilty of professional misconduct by the city’s Medical Council in April, and was ordered to be removed from the doctor’s register for three months, suspended for 18 months. Mo was also required to complete several courses relating to the safe prescription of medication.
Speaking on Monday, the family of Ying Kwok-keung, 51, who died in November 2016, said they were disappointed with the sentence, and urged the watchdog to review its decision. Under the Medical Registration Ordinance, the council’s inquiry panel has until Friday to decide if it wants to review its sentence.
“I fail to see justice done from this sentence which is too light and unacceptable,” Lily Ying, the dead man’s sister, said. “This is not some case of negligence as the doctor had repeatedly given my brother the wrong medication.”
Ying’s wife, Fiona Lo, said she was “very disappointed by the sentence”.
“The doctor admitted his professional misconduct but he never apologised to us, not even giving us a phone call,” she said.
