Registration (Click Here)
Seminar on Bolitho’s Complicated Impact, 70 Years On from Bolam [CPD/CME]
Date: 28 April 2026 (Tue)
Time: 6:00 pm – 7:45 pm
Mode: In-person & ZOOM
Venue: Pao Yue Kong Auditorium, G/F, Hong Kong Academy of Medicine Jockey Club Building, 99 Wong Chuk Hang Road, Aberdeen
Organised by:
Task Force on Laws for Healthcare Practitioners, Professionalism and Ethics Committee and Jockey Club Institute for Medical Education and Development, Hong Kong Academy of Medicine
Supported by:
Centre for Medical Ethics and Law, The University of Hong Kong
Medical Ethics and Humanities Unit, School of Clinical Medicine, The University of Hong Kong
Registration (Click Here)
Objective, Coverage and Learning Outcomes:
This seminar will visit the cases of Bolam and Bolitho, focusing on Medical Negligence. Seventy years ago, Mr. Bolam’s filed his claim in negligence against his treating psychiatrist, where the case has come to govern the test of breach for medical negligence across the common law world. Since then, however, the case brought by Patrick Bolitho, and decided 40 years later in 1997, has had equally impactful consequences on medico-legal litigation. The interaction between the two cases in relation to claims and Bolitho’s impact upon Bolam continues to vex and develop. This seminar will examine and discuss its complicated and decades-long impact on medico-legal litigation.
Participants will acquire knowledge of the aforesaid.
Programme rundown: Click Here
Continuing Medical Education (CME) Accreditation:
To be confirmed
Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Accreditation by the Law Society of Hong Kong:
To be confirmed
6:00pm – 6:10pm
Opening Remarks and Introduction
Dr James Chiu
Co-Chairman, Professionalism and Ethics Committee
Hong Kong Academy of Medicine
Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Medical Ethics and Law
The University of Hong Kong
6:10pm – 6:40pm
Bolitho’s Complicated Impact, 70 Years On from Bolam
Professor Rachael Mulheron, Honorary King’s Counsel and Fellow of the British Academy
Professor, Tort Law and Civil Justice, Department of Law, Queen Mary University of London
6:40pm – 7:10pm Discussion – Difficulties with Proving Breach and the Application of the res ipsa Doctrine in the Medical Setting in Hong Kong
7:10pm – 7:40pm Q&A
Professor Rachael Mulheron, Honorary King’s Counsel and Fellow of the British Academy
Professor, Tort Law and Civil Justice, Department of Law, Queen Mary University of London
Professor Craig Purshouse
Associate Professor, Faculty of Law
Deputy Director, Board Member and Research Fellow, Centre for Medical Ethics and Law
Deputy Director, Centre for Private Law
The University of Hong Kong
Prof Emmanuel Cheung
Clinical Assistant Professor of Practice
Critical Care Medicine Unit/ Medical Ethics and Humanities Unit, School of Clinical Medicine, HKUMed
Research Fellow, Centre for Medical Ethics and Law, The University of Hong Kong
Honorary Specialist, Adult Intensive Care Unit, Queen Mary Hospital
Dr Chow Kai-Ming
Chief of Service, Department of Medicine and Therapeutics
Prince of Wales Hospital
Prof Philip Li
President and Co-Chairman, Professionalism and Ethics Committee
Hong Kong Academy of Medicine
7:40pm – 7:45pm
Closing Remarks
Prof Philip Li
President and Co-Chairman, Professionalism and Ethics Committee
Hong Kong Academy of Medicine
Fees:
Free of charge
Target Audience:
Legal professionals, healthcare professionals and anyone who is interested
Level:
Elementary (no prior knowledge/ experience required)
For any enquiries, please contact Hong Kong Academy of Medicine (HKAM) at pqs@hkam.org.hk.
Welcome to join us!