HA to raise staff alertness after fatal feeding error

Hospital Authority chief executive Libby Lee announced new measures to increase medical staff vigilance following a tragic feeding error at Prince of Wales Hospital. The incident occurred when a patient choked on regular food instead of his prescribed pureed diet, leading to his death. Lee explained that the patient, suffering from dementia and stroke, was admitted on September 16 due to a deteriorating mental state.

A doctor inadvertently issued a diet as tolerated (DAT) order, which permits patients to consume regular meals regardless of texture or type. A nursing staff member then failed to verify the patient's prior diet records, resulting in the fatal feeding mistake. Lee characterized the situation as "highly sub-optimal" and a "huge shock" to the medical community.

While acknowledging the need for improvements, Lee disagreed with the notion that removing DAT orders would entirely resolve the problem. She emphasized that the hospital will implement measures to enhance staff alertness and ensure proper checks before feeding patients. Additionally, Lee addressed the faulty lifts at Queen Mary Hospital's new clinical block, stating that repairs have been made and tests are underway.

Services at the new building will commence once all 28 lifts are confirmed to operate safely, with the long-term impact on the hospital's development yet to be assessed. Lee clarified that the hospital is merely an end-user in the redevelopment project and played no supervisory role in its construction. Current services at Queen Mary remain unaffected, though patients will need to tolerate the old block's aging facilities.