The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government today conducted a second drill for the Pilot Scheme for Direct Cross-boundary Ambulance Transfer in the Greater Bay Area, which is expected to launch next month.

It carried out the drill in collaboration with the Guangdong Provincial Government and the Shenzhen Municipal Government to observe the simulated transfer of a patient by a cross-boundary ambulance.

Having obtained the quota for cross-boundary ambulances of Guangdong and Hong Kong, the Shenzhen ambulance participating in the drill today is able to travel between Hong Kong and Shenzhen with dual licence plates of the Mainland and Hong Kong, further streamlining the actual operation and procedures for the direct ambulance transfer.

Secretary for Health Prof Lo Chung-mau, together with relevant representatives of the Guangdong Provincial Government and the Shenzhen Municipal Government inspected the drill at the Hospital Authority’s Major Incident Control Centre.

Prof Lo noted that the governments of the three places have finalised the mechanism and procedures for the direct cross-boundary ambulance transfer in the Greater Bay Area (GBA).

He expressed confidence that the pilot scheme could be launched next month to provide a point-to-point transfer arrangement between designated hospitals for patients with specific clinical needs, adding that by then, patients can be transferred in a safer, more timely and convenient manner.

The direct cross-boundary ambulance transfer arrangement in the GBA concerns not only patients' safety but also the cross-boundary travel of vehicles, healthcare personnel, medication and devices as well as dangerous goods for medical use, the health chief noted.

He said the Hong Kong SAR Government will keep deepening collaboration with other GBA cities and harmonise rules and mechanisms among the bay area cities to ensure safety for entry or exit and quarantine.

The pilot scheme is limited to transfers between designated hospitals with the first phase focusing on the arrangement of direct ambulance transfer of patients from designated hospitals in Shenzhen and Macau to designated public hospitals in Hong Kong.

The University of Hong Kong - Shenzhen Hospital and the Conde S. Januario Hospital of Macao are the designated hospitals.

The cross-boundary ambulance mechanism will only be activated when a prior agreement between these two sending hospitals and designated public hospitals in Hong Kong has been reached in advance.

They have to take the clinical needs, safety and interests of patients as the prime concerns, and have a mechanism in place to avoid abuse, while ensuring the safety of cross-boundary transfer.

Prof Lo also thanked various national ministries, including the State Council’s Hong Kong & Macao Affairs Office, the National Health Commission and the General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China for the successful implementation of the transfer arrangement, and their support and guidance.