XN000022-1974-07-03 — Page 18

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WEDNESDAY, JULY. 3, 1974

WIDER DISCIPLINARY POWERS, SOUGHT FOR MEDICAL COUNCIL

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THE MEDICAL REGISTRATION (AMENDMENT) BILL 1974, READ FOR THE SECOND TIME TODAY IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, IS INTENDED TO AMEND THE MEDICAL REGISTRATION ORDINANCE BY WIDENING THE DISCIPLINARY POWERS OF THE MEDICAL COUNCIL.

DR. THE HON. GERALD CHOA, DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, SAID: +AT PRESENT, WHEN THE COUNCIL IS SATISFIED THAT A MEDICAL PRACTITIONER HAS MISCONDUCTED HIMSELF IN SUCH A WAY AS TO BRING DISCREDIT ON HIS PROFESSION, THE COUNCIL MAY ORDER HIS NAME TO BE ERASED FROM THE REGISTER EITHER COMPLETELY OR FOR A SPECIFIED PERIOD OR BE REPRIMANDED.+

ANY ORDER MADE BY THE COUNCIL COULD BE SUSPENDED, BUT WHATEVER DECISION WAS ARRIVED AT HAD, AT PRESENT, TO BE PUBLISHED IN THE OFFICIAL GAZETTE.

+ INSTANCES OCCUR FROM TIME TO TIME OF MINOR INFRINGEMENTS OF MEDICAL ETHICS,+ DR. CHOA SAID, +AND THE COUNCIL CONSIDERS THAT SUCH INSTANCES DO NOT MERIT WHAT IS TANTAMOUNT TO A PUBLIC REPRIMAND.+

HE EXPLAINED THAT IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, THE MEDICAL COUNCIL CONSIDERED THAT A LESSER PUNISHMENT SHOULD BE PERMITTED, AND IT WAS PROPOSED TO FOLLOW THE PRACTICE OF THE GENERAL MEDICAL COUNCIL IN THE UNITED KINGDON BY GIVING THE HONG KONG MEDICAL COUNCIL DISCRETION TO ISSUE WARNING LETTERS AND TO DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT ANY PARTICULAR WARNING LETTER SHOULD BE NOTIFIED IN THE OFFICIAL GAZETTE.

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SELF-OWNERSHIP OF PUBLIC ESTATE FLATS RULED OUT ******

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THE HOUSING AUTHORITY HAS NO PLANS FOR ALLOWING PUBLIC HOUSING TENANTS TO PURCHASE THEIR UNITS, THE SECRETARY FOR HOUSING, THE HON. IAN LIGHTBODY, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

+TO DO SO WOULD HAVE ATTRACTIONS FROM A CASH-FLOW STANDPOINT, BUT THE HOUSING AUTHORITY HAS DECIDED THAT THE SHORTAGE OF PUBLIC HOUSING OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS, COUPLED WITH THE HEAVY DEMAND FOR HOUSING FROM LOW-INCOME GROUPS MAKES IT A NON-STARTER FOR THE FORSEEABLE FUTURE,+ HE SAID.

MR. LIGHTBODY WAS, REPLY ING TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON. LI FOOK-WO WHO WANTED TO KNOW WHETHER ANY PROGRESS HAD BEEN MADE ON THE QUESTION OF ALLOWING OCCUPANTS OF FLATS IN PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES TO PURCHASE THEM OUTRIGHT.

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