醫療改革續航力：關鍵人物再度入局

一、背景

香港特別行政區第八屆立法會選舉於2025年12月7日順利舉行，選出90名議員，涵蓋三大界別：地區直選20席、功能界別30席、選舉委員會界別40席。本屆選舉投票率達31.9%，較上屆略有提升，但整體選民人數下降，顯示市民參與度仍有改善空間。

在立法會架構中，衛生事務委員會是專責醫療及公共衛生政策的重要平台，負責審議醫療改革、公共衛生、醫療融資及跨界別合作等議題。過去四年，第七屆立法會共有25位議員曾任委員，其中11位全期服務，反映該委員會在政策制定中的穩定性與專業性。

二、第七屆委員會回顧

第七屆立法會（2022-2025）期間，衛生事務委員會積極推動多項政策，包括：

• 基層醫療發展：推動「地區康健中心」擴展，改善社區醫療服務。

• 醫療人手與輸入政策：討論海外醫生免試認可制度，紓緩醫生短缺。

• 中西醫協作：促進中醫藥納入公共醫療體系，推動中西醫結合治療。

• 醫療保險改革：檢視自願醫保計劃，提升保障範圍與可負擔性。

委員會亦曾舉辦專題會議及訪問大灣區醫院，探討醫療大數據與器官移植政策，為香港醫療體系改革奠定基礎。

三、第八屆選舉結果與委員會組成

根據最新選舉結果，衛生事務委員會2025年度主席林哲玄及副主席陳沛良成功當選。兩人均具專業背景，林哲玄長期關注醫療人手及公共衛生；陳沛良則擅長醫療融資與保險制度，預示委員會未來將在醫療改革與保險政策上加強協作。

值得注意的是，第七屆全期服務的11位委員中，有5人成功連任，包括：

• 陳凱欣（選舉委員會界別，曾任主席）

• 林哲玄（醫療衞生界，現任主席）

• 邱達根（科技創新界）

• 陳沛良（保險界，現任副主席）

• 黃國（選舉委員會界別）

這五位議員在過去四年均活躍於醫療政策討論，並在今屆繼續擔任重要角色，顯示政策延續性。

交棒現象值得關注：現屆活躍議員如田北辰及梁熙雖未再度參選，但其黨內繼任人成功當選，意味著相關政策理念與黨派立場仍將在新一屆延續，並可能在衛生事務委員會或相關政策討論中保持影響力。

四、主要議題與政策方向

新一屆會期中，將聚焦多項與醫療及公共衞生相關的重要議題，涵蓋醫療融資、精神健康、專業認證、醫療科技及基層醫療發展，反映香港醫療體系改革的方向。

首先，自願醫保計劃優化是核心議題之一。政府預計於2026年第一季匯報自2019年計劃實施以來的進展，並提出擴展保障至香港中醫醫院住院服務的安排。林哲玄議員早前建議，應進一步提升醫療融資模式，包括提供半私家公立病床、設立個人或家庭醫療戶口，以及採用共付模式，讓市民能以合理成本享用較新及昂貴的醫療服務。此舉有助減輕公立醫院壓力，並推動公私營協作。

其次，精神健康政策亦是重點。委員會將聽取精神健康諮詢委員會第四屆任期的工作匯報，並檢視新措施，以回應社會對心理健康服務的需求，尤其在疫情後精神健康問題日益突出。

此外，委員會將討論認可醫療專業註冊制度，為臨床心理學家、教育心理學家、營養師、聽力學家及言語治療師制定法定註冊，提升專業認可及基層醫療質素。全面科技數字醫療及遠程醫療法律框架亦在議程之列，旨在推動遙距醫療服務，特別是長者在家及院舍的應用，並建立法律保障。

其他尚待確定的議題包括：改革香港醫務委員會組成及職能，加強投訴及紀律機制；醫院擴建計劃，如基督教聯合醫院及天水圍醫院；以及第三所醫學院的籌建進展，以應對長遠醫療人手不足問題。

整體而言，新一屆衞生事務委員會的議題涵蓋醫療融資、精神健康、專業認證及醫療科技，顯示香港正朝向多元化、創新及可持續的醫療體系發展。未來討論結果將對公共衞生政策及市民健康保障產生深遠影響。

五、影響與展望

第八屆立法會的組成顯示，衛生事務委員會將保持專業性與多元性，結合醫療、保險及科技界別力量，推動醫療體系現代化。隨著人口老化及慢病負擔加重，委員會需在醫療資源分配、保險制度改革及創新科技應用上提出具體方案，以回應市民需求。

交棒現象亦意味著政策理念的延續與調整，田北辰及梁熙所屬黨派的醫療政策方向，將透過新當選議員繼續在立法會發揮影響，確保改革不因人事變動而中斷。

結語

衛生事務委員會在新一屆立法會中角色更為重要，既要延續過去改革成果，又需應對新挑戰。隨著五位連任議員的專業背景與政策經驗，以及黨派交棒帶來的延續性，委員會有望在醫療改革、保險制度、基層醫療及創科應用方面取得突破，為香港醫療體系注入新動力。

I. Background

The Eighth-term Legislative Council election of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region was successfully held on 7 December 2025, returning 90 members across three sectors: 20 seats from geographical constituencies, 30 from functional constituencies, and 40 from the Election Committee constituency. The voter turnout reached 31.9%, a slight increase compared to the previous term, although the overall number of registered voters declined, indicating room for improvement in public participation.

Within the Legislative Council structure, the Panel on Health Services Committee serves as a key platform dedicated to healthcare and public health policy. It is responsible for deliberating on issues such as healthcare reform, public health, medical financing, and cross-sector collaboration. Over the past four years, the Seventh-term Legislative Council had 25 members serving on the committee, with 11 members serving the full term, reflecting the committee’s stability and professionalism in policy formulation.

II. Seventh-term Committee Review

During the Seventh-term (2022–2025), the Panel on Health Services Committee actively advanced several major policy initiatives, including:

• Primary Healthcare Development: Expansion of District Health Centres to improve community healthcare services.

• Medical Manpower and Admission Policy: Discussion on exempting overseas doctors from licensing examinations to alleviate manpower shortages.

• Integration of Chinese and Western Medicine: Promotion of incorporating Chinese medicine into the public healthcare system and fostering integrative treatment.

• Medical Insurance Reform: Review of the Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme to enhance coverage and affordability.

  
  

The committee also organized thematic meetings and conducted visits to hospitals in the Greater Bay Area and the National Health Commission to explore medical big data and organ transplant policies, laying the groundwork for healthcare system reform in Hong Kong.

III. Eighth-term Election Results and Committee Composition

According to the latest election results, the Panel on Health Services Committee in 2025, Chairman David Lam and Chan Pui-leung are its vice-chairmen are re-elected. Both have professional backgrounds; Lam has long focused on medical manpower and public health, while Chan specializes in medical financing and insurance systems, indicating that the committee will strengthen cooperation on medical reform and insurance policies in the future.

Notably, among the 11 full-term members of the previous committee, five have successfully secured re-election, including:

• Chan Hoi-yan (Election Committee constituency, former Chairperson)

• David Lam Tzit-yuen (Medical and Health Services sector, current Chairperson)

• Johnny Yau Tat-kan (Technology and Innovation sector)

• Chan Pui-leung (Insurance sector, current Vice-Chairperson)

• Wong Kwok (Election Committee constituency)

  
  

These five legislators were highly active in healthcare policy discussions during the past term and will continue to play key roles, ensuring policy continuity.

The handover phenomenon deserves attention: Prominent outgoing legislators such as Michael Tien and Edward Leung did not seek re-election, yet their party successors won seats. This suggests that their policy positions and party stances will likely persist in the new term, maintaining influence in the Panel on Health Services or related policy debates.

IV. Key Issues and Policy Directions

In the upcoming term, the committee is expected to deliberate on a range of critical issues, reflecting the city’s commitment to modernizing its healthcare system and enhancing service quality.

One of the core topics will be the enhancement of the Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme (VHIS). The government plans to report progress since the scheme’s implementation in April 2019 and outline arrangements to extend coverage to inpatient services at the Hong Kong Chinese Medicine Hospital. Legislator Lam Cheuk-hin previously proposed measures to strengthen healthcare financing, including offering semi-private beds in public hospitals for VHIS policyholders, establishing individual or family medical savings accounts, and adopting co-payment models for advanced and costly treatments. These initiatives aim to ease pressure on public hospitals and foster public-private collaboration.

Mental health policy will also be a priority. The committee will review new measures and receive a briefing on the work of the Mental Health Advisory Committee during its fourth term (December 2023–November 2025). This discussion addresses growing societal concerns about mental well-being, particularly in the post-pandemic era.

Another significant agenda item is the development of statutory registration systems for accredited healthcare professions, including clinical psychologists, educational psychologists, dietitians, audiologists, and speech therapists. This move seeks to enhance professional recognition and strengthen primary healthcare services. In addition, the committee will examine policies on digital health and the legal framework for telemedicine, aiming to promote remote healthcare services for elderly patients at home and in care facilities, while ensuring regulatory safeguards.

Further topics awaiting confirmation include:

Review of statutory fees under the Department of Health for services with no direct impact on livelihood.

Reform of the Medical Council’s composition and functions, focusing on complaints handling and disciplinary mechanisms.Hospital development projects, such as the expansion of United Christian Hospital and Tin Shui Wai Hospital.

Progress on establishing a third medical school to address long-term manpower shortages.

Collectively, these anticipated discussions span healthcare financing, mental health, professional accreditation, and medical technology, signaling a strategic shift toward a more diversified, innovative, and sustainable healthcare system. The outcomes of these deliberations will have far-reaching implications for public health policy and the well-being of Hong Kong residents.

V. Impact and Outlook

The composition of the Eighth-term Legislative Council indicates that the Panel on Health Services Committee will maintain its professionalism and diversity, combining expertise from healthcare, insurance, and technology sectors to modernize the healthcare system. With an aging population and increasing chronic disease burden, the committee must propose concrete measures on resource allocation, insurance reform, and technological innovation to meet public needs.

The handover phenomenon also signifies continuity and adaptation of policy agendas. The healthcare policy directions championed by parties represented by Michael Tien and Edward Leung will likely remain influential through their successors, ensuring reforms do not stall due to personnel changes.

Conclusion

The Panel on Health Services will play an even more critical role in the new Legislative Council term, tasked with sustaining past reform achievements while addressing emerging challenges. With five re-elected members bringing experience and expertise, alongside party-driven continuity, the committee is well-positioned to deliver progress in healthcare reform, insurance systems, primary care, and technological innovation—injecting new momentum into Hong Kong’s healthcare landscape.