he Health Sector Division operates and maintains hospital plants and medical equipment for key clients such as the Hospital Authority (HA) and Department of Health. In 2007/08, the Division exceeded its business targets and met increased demand from key clients for improvement and replacement work. During the year, several projects demonstrated the Division's ability to assist clients to complete critical tasks within a short period of time.

We have been entrusted to enhance and renovate the mortuaries at 14 HA hospitals between 2007 and 2009.

For example, the HA has entrusted the Division to enhance and renovate the mortuaries at 14 HA hospitals between 2007 and 2009. A total of 163 body storage spaces were constructed in public hospitals in 2007/08, and a further 300-plus spaces will be added in 2008/09. The enhancement of body chambers at the three public mortuaries under the Department of Health was also promptly completed during 2007/08. Using a  Total Solution Approach, the Division undertook all design, tender, installation and building supervision work, meeting tight deadlines without disrupting mortuary operations.

Another project completed during the year was the setting up of the "J1" private clinic which was designed and built by the Division at Queen Mary Hospital. In 2007, the Division also transformed a conventional training facility at Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital into a comprehensive Minimal Access Surgery Training Centre. Completed on schedule within five months, the Centre features a simulated endo-lap operating theatre for training purposes and a 100-seat lecture room equipped with state-of-the-art IT and audiovisual systems to accommodate international seminars and video conferencing.

Our team re-won via competitive tender the HA maintenance contracts for several medical equipment such as these infusion pumps.

Furthermore, the Division began providing hospital engineering services at Pok Oi Hospital, the Tuen Mun Hospital Rehabilitation Block and the HA Infectious Disease Centre at Princess Margaret Hospital. It also re-won, via competitive tender, the HA maintenance contracts for several medical equipment such as infusion pumps and biological safety cabinets.

Complementing its expertise in maintaining and operating advanced medical equipment, the Division constantly seeks for and evaluates new technologies with the potential to improve its services to hospital administrators, medical professionals and hospital users. For example, it is now upgrading the in-ward television systems to  HDTV with a cost effective solution. In cooperation with the Electronics and Data Communication Division, it has also been working with Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital and Princess Margaret Hospital to deploy 3G telephone systems that enhance the efficiency of pagers and internal mobile phones and allow the development of more advanced applications for users. This is an area with great growth prospects.

The Division continues to provide training to keep staff abreast of new developments in medical technology. During the year, it brought in US specialists to provide refresher training in laser safety to its nine qualified laser safety officers and related personnel, with HA officers also in attendance.

2008/09 marks the beginning of a new cycle for the Division's major Service Level Agreements. The Division will work closely with its clients to maintain the stability of the business.