458 complaints involving HK$2.7 million filed with Hong Kong watchdog over clinic
One doctor also says Alliance Medical Group, which shut its two clinics without warning, owes him as much as HK$800,000 in wages
Hong Kong’s consumer watchdog has received 458 complaints concerning the suspected closure of a medical group, involving about HK$2.7 million (US$348,270), with one doctor saying the firm owed him up to HK$800,000 in unpaid wages.
The Consumer Council said that as of 4pm on Saturday, the highest individual claim related to Alliance Medical Group’s abrupt closure amounted to HK$23,550 while the average case was HK$5,720.
The watchdog said 321 of the 458 complaints were linked to the chain’s closure, while 113 concerned a change or termination of contract.
As of Saturday, the Customs and Excise Department and police had received 998 reports related to the clinics, and had arranged to take complainants’ statement for further investigation.
The doctor, who worked full time at the Alliance Medical Group and spoke to the Post on Saturday on condition of anonymity, said concerns about the financial health of the business began to surface in February.
“Their payments have been delayed for a very long time,” the doctor said, adding the group owed him about HK$500,000 to HK$800,000.
“Occasionally, some drug and equipment companies would send invoices that had not been paid, and my nurses would constantly ask me about them,” said the doctor, who had been working full time at the group’s clinic in Tsim Sha Tsui for nearly a decade.