WEDNESDI, AUGUST 14, 1974.
WORKING PARTY TO STUDY ISSUE OF ION-COMMONWEALTH
MEDICAL CRADUATES
*R***R
THE GOVERNOR HAS APPROVED THE SETTING UP OF A WORKING PARTY TO EXAMINE ALL ASPECTS OF THE PROBLEM OF NON-COMMONWEALTH MEDICAL CRADUATES, AND TO MAKE RECOMMENDAT 101.5.
DR. THE HON. CERALD CHOA, DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL THIS TODAY WHEN WIRDING UP THE DEBATE ON THE WHITE PAPER ON THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES IN HONG KONG.
DR. CHOA SAID HE WAS CLAD FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO CLARIFY THE ISSUE RELATING TO THE POSITION OF NON-CO.:.HEALTH MEDICAL GRADUATES AND VENT ON TO EXPLAIN THE EVENTS LEADING TO THE DECISION TO SET UP A WORKING PARTY TO LOOK ITO IT.
+IN 1966, HE SAID, THE MEDICAL CLINICS ADVISORY COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED THAT PRACTITIONERS WIO VERE PERNITYED TO PRACTISE IN EXEMPTED CLINICS SHOULD BE SUBMITTED, IF THEY SO DESIRED, TO EXAMINATIONS, AND ON PASSING DE ALLOWED TO PRACTISE MEDICINE AND HAVE THE TITLE OF ASSISTANT MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS.
+NATURALLY, THE RECOMMENDATION RELATED TO PRACTICE IN HONG KONG ONLY. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN FOR THE GENERAL MEDICAL COUNCIL OF THE UNITED KINGDOM TO DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT TO EXTEND ITS RECOGNITION TO THEM TO PRACTISE IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COILIONUEALTH.
+THIS RECOMMENDATION, HOWEVER, WAS OPPOSED BY COTH THE HONG KONG MEDICAL ASSOCIATION AND THE DRITISH KIDICAL ASSOCIATION CHONG KONG ERANCH), AND IT WAS ALSO UNDERSTOOD THAT THE UNIVERSITY OF. HONG KONG WOULD NOT WISH TO CONDUCT EITHER REPRESLER COURSES OR
EXAMINATIONS UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES.
+FOR THESE REASONS, IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO CARRY OUT THIS RECOMENDATION WINCH VOULD HAVE HELPED A CONSIDERABLE NUMBER OF NON-COMMONWEALTH MEDICAL CRADUATES AT THAT TIME AND COULD POSSIBLY HAVE DEEN EXTENDED FOR OTHERS IN LATER YEARS.
+HOWEVER, NOW THAT IT SEEMS THAT THE MEDICAL ASSOCIATIONS AND THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG HIGHT BE WILLING TO TAKE A DIFFERENT STAND, THE GOVERNMENT IS PREPARED TO RECONSIDER THE PROBLE/1.+
IN A REFERENCE TO OTHER POINTS EROUGHT UP BY MERDERS DURING THE DEBATE ON THE WHITE PAPER, DR. CHOA TOUCHED IN PARTICULAR ON THE SHORTFALL OF DOCTORS, NURSES, COMMUNITY (UURSING, THE REHABILITATION SERVICE, ASSESSMENT OF THE PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY HANDICAPPED, AND THE ACCIDENT AND MEULANCE SERVICES.
AMIC GREEN PAPER
I