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MONDAY, APRIL 21, 1975
MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT REFUTES CRITICISM OF +INACTION+ OVER CONTROLLING MEDICAL LABORATORIES
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COMMENTING ON RECENT PRESS REPORTS ABOUT THE OPERATION OF PRIVATE MEDICAL LABORATORIES, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT TODAY DESCRIBED AS +ILL-INFORMED+ CRITICISMS THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD, FOR THE PAST 10 YEARS, IGNORED MEDICAL PROFESSION'S PLEAS FOR ACTION.
THE SPOKESMAN POINTED OUT THAT A WORKING PARTY WAS SET UP IN 1970 TO CONSIDER THE FEASIBILITY OF INTRODUCING IN HONG KONG LEGISLATION SIMILAR TO THE PROFESSIONS SUPPLEMENTARY TO MEDICINE ACT IN THE UNITED KINGDOM.
REPRESENTATIVES OF VARIOUS PARA-MEDICAL PROFESSIONS WERE INVITED TO FORM THIS WORKING PARTY, AND BASICALLY IT WAS AGREED THAT IT WOULD BE DESIRABLE TO INTRODUCE THIS TYPE OF LEGISLATION IN HONG KONG.
HOWEVER, TWO MAIN GROUPS, NAMELY LABORATORY TECHNICIANS AND X-RAY TECHNICIANS, PRESENTED THE MAIN OBSTACLE TO THIS LEGISLATION BY VIRTUE OF THE FACT THAT THERE WERE NO FACILITIES AVAILABLE FOR TRAINING SUCH PEOPLE EMPLOYED IN PRIVATE LABORATORIES IN HONG KONG, AND THEREFORE, IT WOULD BE IMPRACTICABLE TO INTRODUCE LEGISLATION REQUIRING THEM TO HAVE REACHED A CERTAIN MINIMUM STANDARD WHEN IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO ATTAIN THAT STANDARD.
IN 1972, TWO SUB-COMMITTEES OF THE WORKING PARTY WERE FORMED TO STUDY THE PROBLEMS OF SUITABLE TRAINING FOR LABORATORIES AND X-RAY TECHNICIANS, AND FOR THE DRAFTING OF APPROPRIATE LEGISLATION WITH THE ULTIMATE AIM OF CREATING THE PROPER CONDITIONS FOR EVENTUAL LEGISLATION THAT WOULD BRING MEDICAL (CLINICAL) LABORATORIES UNDER CONTROL.
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THE SUB-COMMITTEE ON LABORATORY TECHNICIANS HELD ITS FIRST MEETING IN AUGUST 1972 AND COMPLETED ITS REPORT IN MID-1974. THE REPORT, TOGETHER WITH A DRAFT BILL, WAS SUBMITTED TO THE COLONIAL SECRETARIAT FOR CONSIDERATION IN JULY LAST YEAR.
THE FINAL DRAFT OF THE PROPOSED LEGISLATION IS NOW IN THE HANDS OF THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT.
AT THE SAME TIME AS THE REPORT WAS SUBMITTED, THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG, AT THE REQUEST OF THE SUB-COMMITTEE, CONDUCTED AN EXTRA-MURAL COURSE TO CATER FOR PERSONS ALREADY EMPLOYED IN PRIVATE LABORATORIES. THIS WAS A ONE-YEAR COURSE WHICH BEGAN ON JULY 2, 1974 ON A PART-TIME BASIS. SOME 160 LABORATORY TECHNICIANS TOOK PART IN THE COURSE WHICH WAS CONDUCTED IN CANTONESE.
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