XN000022-1976-10-22 — Page 8

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22, 1976

MEDICAL REGISTRATION (AMENDMENT) BILL 1976

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AN AMENDMENT BILL, AIMED AT IMPLEMENTING THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE WORKING PARTY ON UNREGISTRABLE DOCTORS, WAS PUBLISHED IN TODAY'S GAZETTE.

THE BILL, KNOWN AS THE MEDICAL REGISTRATION (AMENDMENT) BILL 1976, WILL BE INTRODUCED INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL SHORTLY.

UNDER THE BILL, PEOPLE WITH MEDICAL TRAINING, BUT WHO ARE NOT AT PRESENT ELIGIBLE TO BE REGISTERED AS MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS, WILL BE ABLE TO SIT FOR EXAMINATIONS AND SERVE A PERIOD OF EXTERNSHIP WHICH WILL LEAD TO THE GRANT OF A LICENCE BY THE MEDICAL COUNCIL.

HOLDERS OF THIS LICENCE, WHO WILL BE KNOWN AS LICENTIATES OF THE MEDICAL COUNCIL OF HONG KONG, WILL BE ENTITLED TO BE REGISTERED AND TO PRACTISE AS REGISTERED MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS WITHOUT ANY RESTRICTIONS IN HONG KONG.

SOME 1,700 PEOPLE HAVE APPLIED TO SIT FOR THE LICENTIATE EXAMINATIONS, THE FIRST OF WHICH IS EXPECTED TO BE HELD EARLY IN 1977 WHILE THE EXTERNSHIP OF THE FIRST GROUP OF SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATES IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN LATER THAT YEAR.

ONE PROVISION OF THE BILL IS TO ADD TWO NEW PARTS TO THE REGISTER OF MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS, ONE CONTAINING THE PARTICULARS OF LICENTIATES AND THE OTHER RELATING TO THOSE WHO HAVE PASSED THE EXAMINATIONS.

IN ORDER TO QUALIFY TO TAKE THE THREE-PART EXAMINATIONS, THE CANDIDATE MUST HAVE COMPLETED FIVE YEARS FULL-TIME MEDICAL TRAINING AND HOLD A MEDICAL QUALIFICATION OTHER THAN ONE WHICH WOULD ENTITLE HIM TO BE REGISTERED, MUST BE OF GOOD CHARACTER AND MUST HAVE PERMISSION TO LIVE IN HONG KONG.

ANOTHER SECTION OF THE BILL RELATES TO THE PERIOD OF ASSESSMENT. AFTER PASSING THE EXAMINATIONS, A PERSON WISHING TO BECOME A LICENTIATE MUST COMPLETE A PERIOD OF EXTERNSHIP OF 18 MONTHS IN A HOSPITAL OR INSTITUTION APPROVED BY THE MEDICAL COUNCIL.

PROVISION HAS ALSO BEEN MADE FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A LICENTIATE COMMITTEE TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ADMINISTERING THE NEW SYSTEM RELATING TO LICENTIATES, AND SUB-COMMITTEES INCLUDING ONE DEALING WITH APPEALS.

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