The amount paid out in compensation and out-of-court settlements reached HK$18 million.

According to figures provided by Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food York Chow, malpractice compensation and settlements amounted to HK$18.4 million in 2004, while the amount of legal costs incurred was HK$6.9 million.

According to the table of compensation for medical malpractice claims and litigation costs Chow presented to Legco last November, the previous highest compensation payout was HK$41 million in 1996, with HK$14.5 million in litigation costs. The table showed the amount of compensation had dropped from HK$38.7 million in 1999 to HK$4.6 million in 2003. It also revealed that compensation paid as of November 2004 was HK$1.8 million, with legal costs at HK$210,000.

However, the 2004 figures presented Wednesday showed a sharp increase over the past few years.

A Hospital Authority source explained that the revised figures included previously unsettled court proceedings or out-of-court settlements in progress, but no explanation was given for the sharp rise. Chow also struggled to explain the rise, while a bureau spokeswoman said the figures ``reflect the actual situation.''

Other than malpractice, general complaints against public hospitals are also on the rise.

Democrat and Legco health services panel chairman Andrew Cheng raised concerns that the increasing trend of complaints would have an impact on the operation of public hospitals.

``Has the government assessed the implications of resources reduction in recent years on the number and nature of complaints against public hospitals?'' asked Cheng.

Chow, in a written reply Wednesday, replied that there was a ``notable increase'' from 1,744 cases in 2002 to 2,148 cases in 2004, but he said no particular discernible factor can be identified for the increase.

``There has been a corresponding increase in the workload of hospital management and the Hospital Authority's Public Complaints Committee in complaints handling and investigation in recent years,'' Chow said.

``Hospital staff would understandably be under additional pressure when the number of complaints increases,'' he said.

But Chow's statement did not prescribe remedial measures to alleviate the extra pressure hospital staff are facing, saying only that additional funding is out of the question.

Most of the complaints filed were against hospitals providing accident and emergency services, with 1,645 cases in 2004, followed by complaints against public clinics.

The Hospital Authority only took over the management and operations of 59 clinics from the Department of Health in mid-2003.

In 2004, the authority received a total of 584 complaints against its clinical services.

matthew.lee@singtaonewscorp.com