Chief scrutineer: Headed by Sir Cyril Chantler, the hospital management and administration group of the SARS Expert Committee launches a three-day meeting to review the management and control of the SARS outbreak.

The SARS Expert Committee's hospital management and administration group today launched a three-day, tightly-scheduled meeting to review the management and control of the SARS outbreak.

Group chairman Sir Cyril Chantler said their main task in the next three days is to seek information, find out what they need to know, ask questions and identify issues.

The group met Director of Health Dr Margaret Chan and senior Hospital Authority officials today.

They will meet frontline medical and healthcare workers and more health officials tomorrow. On Saturday, the group will meet legislators and local experts.

"One of the things we need to do is to work out what are the questions we need to investigate between now and when we meet again in August," he said.

It is probably necessary for further research to take place, he added.

Noting some criticism on whether the group will be seen as independent due to its convenor being the Secretary for Health, Welfare & Food, Sir Cyril stressed that he and his colleagues are independent.

"We are here to serve the people of Hong Kong and we are appointed by the Chief Executive to do that," he said.

Members expressed their sympathies to those who lost loved ones to SARS, and tremendous respect for our heroic healthcare workers.

Other members in the group are Dr Sherene Devanesen, John Wyn Owen, Dr Tang Xiaoping, Professor Rosie Young and Dr Zhong Nanshan.

The 12-member committee, including chairman and convenor Dr Yeoh Eng-kiong, was appointed by the Chief Executive last month to better prepare Hong Kong for any future outbreak of infectious disease.

The committee is expected to conclude its work and submit a report to the Chief Executive in September.