Clear doubts on ‘Disciplinary Protection Insurance’

Since 1 December 2018, Hospital Authority (HA) has implemented Disciplinary Protection (DP) Insurance policy to cover eligible clinical and non-clinical professionals. The insurer shall pay on behalf of the insured person all legal representation expenses incurred in disciplinary inquiry conducted by the corresponding official body in Hong Kong, such as the Medical Council of Hong Kong and the Nursing Council of Hong Kong. Further to HASLink’s report in January 2019, questions have been received from potential users on DP Insurance. HA Head Office (HAHO) Human Resources Division is invited again to clarify several common doubts about DP Insurance.

Q: I was told that staff who retired or resigned from HA are not covered under DP Insurance for complaints related to incidents happened during their service in HA? Is it true?

A: No. Staff retired or resigned from HA is still covered by the DP Insurance if a written notice of the inquiry is first received on or after 1 December 2018, the inception date of the DP Insurance. Moreover, cases should fall within the scope of the insurance policy, i.e. not related to dishonest or fraudulent acts or malicious or intentional breach of law, sexual abuse or molestation, and intoxication.

Q: I am a clinical psychologist of HA and a member of the Hong Kong Psychological Society. If I receive a letter from the Society notifying me about a complaint that I am in breach of the Society’s code of professional conduct, will I be covered under the DP Insurance?

A: Only professions registered and regulated by an official body in Hong Kong, and practise in HA, will be covered by the DP Insurance. However, there is currently no legal requirement for a person to register in order to practise as a psychologist in Hong Kong. Also, the Hong Kong Psychological Society is not an official body under the DP Insurance. Therefore, you are not covered by the insurance policy.

Q: Who will answer calls from hotline or emails and follow up the cases?

A: The approved Claims Administrator Jardine Lloyd Thompson Limited (JLT) is responsible for the entire claims process and provide professional advice. They will handle enquiries and follow up cases raised via telephone at 2864 5333 or email HADP@jltasia.com. There are also free helplines answered by lawyers of the insurance companies to provide legal advice. Please refer to the fact sheet available on HA website for details.

Q: Will the insurer disclose to HA details of the inquiry of which I receive written notice from an official body?

A: No. To maintain neutrality, JLT and the insurer will not disclose details of individual cases to HA. However, if there is any enquiry on JLT’s service, you may contact HAHO Staff Benefits Team at 2300 6988 to facilitate appropriate follow-up.

Q: What should I do if I receive a written notice of an inquiry from an official body?

A: You should give JLT a written notice via email HADP@jltasia.com, or contact them on 2864 5333 as soon as reasonably practicable. JLT will provide support and guidance to you to deal with the inquiry throughout the process, for instance selecting a panel lawyer and providing relevant legal documents.