The Hospital Authority consulted international experts before deciding to centralise liver transplant surgeries in the Queen Mary Hospital, says the Secretary for Health, Welfare & Food.

Talking on a RTHK's Radio 1 phone-in programme this morning, Dr Yeoh Eng-kiong said that the Authority's decision was not made in haste. He noted that complex surgeries such as liver transplants require a team of well-trained medical professionals. 

Centralising such surgeries in a single hospital will help improve the surgeries' standard, Dr Yeoh believes.

He said the Authority is now explaining the arrangement to patients and stressed that the competition between two university hospitals will not affect patients' interests.

Speaking to the media after the programme, Dr Yeoh said there is room to adjust the amount of Comprehensive Social Security Assistance and a final decision will be made on April 1 at the earliest.

He believed that CSSA recipients' consumption power and living standard will not be affected if the adjustment is in line with the deflation.

He stressed that, should there be an adjustment, the Government will give CSSA recipients extra time to cope with the changes. 

Turning to new medical fees and charges, Dr Yeoh estimated the new fees will bring an additional revenue of about $300 million.   

He added that the Government is in the final stages of reviewing the existing medical-fee exemption system.

The Government will look at individuals' and families' income and assets, clinical condition and social condition to see if they are eligible for medical-fee exemption.