The latest Policy Address puts forward the proposition to integrate the paediatric services of various clusters at the Hong Kong Children’s Hospital, and develop advanced services to fully fulfil its function. To this end, the Hospital Authority is actively planning to expand services at HKCH, including to widen newborn screening, conduct fetal and neonatal brain and spinal MRI scans, develop complex neurosurgical procedures, establish evidence-based treatment and clinical research centres, introduce gene therapy for rare neurological disorders, and maintain a neuromuscular disease registry. Provision of private services is also being explored to meet public expectations and support complex cases from other healthcare institutions in the region.

In the pursuit of becoming a centre of excellence, it is imperative to hold an open and inclusive attitude. That is how we attract experts from diverse fields. They should possess not only extensive knowledge but also a collaborative spirit. By integrating resources, we shall be able to deliver the most comprehensive, professional, and high-quality healthcare services possible. In the HA, HKCH takes the role of the “specialist in paediatrics”. We also serve as the third teaching hospital, engaging faculty members of the two university medical schools to conduct clinical, teaching, training and research activities here. The chairmen of their paediatric department have just been appointed as our Deputy Hospital Chief Executives. With the collective dedication of all staff members, I firmly believe that we can turn the vision of a world-class centre of excellence into reality.

Dr Lee Tsz-leung, Hospital Chief Executive