Constitution | IMACE-UAT

Preamble
The Institute for Medical Advancement and Clinical Excellence (“IMACE”) is mandated by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (“Government”) to uphold and advance the quality and standards of healthcare services in Hong Kong through professional collaboration, the promulgation of evidence-based recommendations, and the promotion of service excellence within and across public and private healthcare sectors. This Constitution outlines the governance, functions, and operational framework of the IMACE.

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Name and Establishment

The entity shall be known as the Institute for Medical Advancement and Clinical Excellence (“IMACE”)

The IMACE is an independent professional public body initiated and funded by the Government for its operation.

The Governing Board of the IMACE provides institutional oversight. The operations of the IMACE are supported by the Secretariat, which is housed under the Hong Kong Academy of Medicine (“HKAM”).

The IMACE comprises seven Founding Members (in alphabetical order):

Department of Health, HKSAR Government

Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong Hong Kong Academy of Medicine

Hong Kong Private Hospitals Association Hospital Authority of Hong Kong

LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong

Primary Healthcare Commission, Health Bureau, HKSAR Government

2.1

Objectives and Functions

The IMACE shall:

Develop and disseminate recommendations tailored to Hong Kong’s local healthcare context through evidence-based and professionals-led deliberations.

Evaluate the efficacy and cost-effectivenessof medical treatmentoptions, including drugs, medical devices, and healthcare technologies.

Establish quality indicators and benchmarks for healthcare providers and coordinate with the Government and professional agencies on the adoption of the same to improve transparency, accountability, and outcome.

Strengthen clinical governance, quality assurance, and public education to optimise resource utilisation and enhance awareness of healthcare efficacy.

Advise the Government on policies and measures to drive clinical excellence and facilitate health and medical innovation.

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Governance Structure

The IMACE shall be governed by the Governing Board, which comprises 8 members including the Chairman of the Governing Board who is the Convenor of the IMACE nominated by the HKAM, and one representative from each of the 7 Founding Members. The Governing Board will meet regularly, with a quorum being more than half of its members (i.e. five).

The Governing Board is responsible for providing strategic directions and institutional oversight and has the discretion and powers to perform the following:

To approve and adopt all decisions and resolutions related to the activities of the IMACE unless stated otherwise in this Constitution / save for those reserved for the Council of HKAM (if any).

To set up and dissolve committees / subcommittees, task forces, advisory panels, and working groups.

To determine its own delegation of approving authorities according to the established governance structure.

To appoint individual(s) to the Governing Board.

To establish a mechanism to respond to ad hoc enquiries from other external bodies, and determine the scope, process, and approval of such responses.

To amend the Constitution of the IMACE.

To dissolve the IMACE after consultation with the Government.

Unless stated otherwise, all decisions of the Governing Board shall require a simple majority vote of members present in a meeting. The Chairman shall cast a vote only in case of a tie.

Funding for the IMACE is administered by the HKAM, and operations of the IMACE are supported by the Secretariat, which is housed under the HKAM. The respective roles and powers of the IMACE and the HKAM are:

Financial Oversight: The Governing Board shall review and approve the annual budget and financial plans. The objectives or tasks in the approved annual budget and financial plans will be carried out by the IMACE Secretariat with oversightfrom the Governing Board.They shall also be sent to the Council of HKAM, which will administer the approved funds and ensure compliance withaccountingandotherregulatory requirements. The IMACE Secretariat shall be responsible for preparation of annual financial report(s) for submission to the Governing Board and the Council of HKAM on the status of funding utilization pursuant to the relevant annual budget and financial plans approved by the Governing Board.

Human Resources (HR): Staff of the Secretariat are employees of the HKAM. The HKAM Secretariat administers relevant statutory HR matters for the Secretariat including but not limited to staff payroll, contribution to Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF), and provision of Employees' Compensation insurance policy. The Secretariat shall support the recruitment and preparation of employment contracts etc. of its staff members, having due regards for the established policies and strategic needs of the IMACE. Operational decisions regardingstaff of the Secretariat lie with the Governing Board or its delegated committees.

4.1

Core Principles

The IMACE’s work shall adhere to the following principles:

Evidence-Based: Grounded in reliable, relevant, and up-to-date clinical and scientific evidence.

Impartial: Conducted independently and objectively, with due consideration of the local healthcare context.

Patient-Centered: Focused on improving health and healthcare outcomes for the people of Hong Kong.

Collaborative: Engaging diverse stakeholders, including healthcare providers, professionals, and the public.

Innovative: Supporting the adoption of new healthcare technologies to achieve cross-sector societal benefits.

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Nature of Recommendations

The IMACE shall develop and disseminate recommendations where applicable andappropriateincluding,butnot limited to, clinical protocols,clinical practice guidelines, and other relevant benchmarks (“IMACE Recommendations”).

TheIMACE Recommendations,beingindicative of the recommended standards and practices in the local healthcare context, are advisory in nature.

While the IMACE Recommendations are not intended to replace individual clinical judgment and professional expertise and are intended to serve as a resource to support decision-making, healthcare professionals and healthcare providers are encouraged to adopt the IMACE Recommendations where appropriate and departure from the IMACE Recommendations should be supported by good clinical reasons.

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Funding and Resource Management

Operations of the IMACE shall be funded on an on-going basis by the Government (through the HKAM), with an initial funding period of 3 years.

The Governing Board (or its delegated committees) shall cause true accounts to be kept of the sums of money received and expended by the IMACE and the matters in respect of which such receipt and expenditure take place.

The IMACE shall promulgate its own policies and procedures and adopt those of HKAM that are applicable to the IMACE.

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Accountability and Reporting

The IMACE shall submit an annual report to the Government detailing its activities and financial performance.

An audited financial statement shall be submitted by IMACE to the Government annually.

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Amendments to the Constitution

Proposed amendments to the Constitution must be submitted in writing to the Governing Board by one of the Founding Members.

Amendments to the Constitution require approval by a two-thirds majority of the Governing Board membership (i.e. at least six).

9.1

Dissolution

The IMACE may be dissolved at the request of the Governing Board after consultation with the Government, provided that such dissolution is approved by a two-thirds majority of the membership of the Governing Board (i.e. at least six) voting in person in a meeting.

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Miscellaneous Provisions

This Constitution shall take effect upon approval by the Governing Board.

All matters notexpressly addressed in this Constitution shall be governed by the applicable laws and regulations of Hong Kong.

8 May 2025