XN000022-1983-11-23 — Page 14

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1983

IT WOULD THEN BE POSSIBLE FOR THE NECESSARY REGULATIONS TO BE MADE, HE ADDED.

SOME DIFFICULT POLICY ISSUES WOULD, HOWEVER, HAVE TO BE RESOLVED BEFORE THE LEGISLATION COULD EFFECTIVELY BE IMPLEMENTED, HE EXPLAINED.

CHIEF AMONG THESE WAS THE QUESTION OF THE DESIRED STANDARDS THAT OPTOMETRISTS SHOULD REACH BEFORE THEY BECAME ELIGIBLE FOR

REGISTRATION.

THESE ISSUES WOULD NORMALLY BE A MATTER FOR THE STATUTORY BOARD WHICH WOULD BE ESTABLISHED, UNDER THE SUPPLEMENTARY MEDICAL PROFESSIONS COUNCIL, IN RESPECT OF THE OPTICAL PROFESSION, HE SAID.

THIS BOARD COULD NOT, HOWEVER, BE ESTABLISHED UNTIL THE LEGISLATIVE AMENDMENTS WERE MADE, HE ADDED.

+CONSIDERATION IS THEREFORE BEING GIVEN TO THE APPOINTMENT OF AN INTER IM ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO PROVIDE THE GOVERNMENT WITH EXPERT ADVICE PENDING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE STATUTORY BOARD.

+ IT IS HOPED THAT IT WILL BE POSSIBLE TO APPOINT THIS ADVISORY COMMITTEE SHORTLY, MR CHING SAID.

CLINICS WITHOUT MEDICAL PRACTITIONER STILL PERFORM USEFUL SERVICE

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THE EXISTING 282 CLINICS EXEMPTED FROM THE REQUIREMENT TO HAVE A REGISTERED MEDICAL PRACTITIONER WILL BE GIVEN THE SAME EXEMPTION FOR ANOTHER THREE YEARS FROM JANUARY 1, 1984.

IN MOVING A RESOLUTION GRANTING THIS EXEMPTION, THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, THE HON HENRY CHING, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY THAT THESE CLINICS STILL PROVIDE A USEFUL SERVICE AT A REASONABLE COST.

+THEIR ACTIVITIES ARE SUPERVISED BY THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT, THEIR STANDARDS ARE STILL SATISFACTORY, AND THEIR CLOSURE WOULD NOT BE IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST,+ MR CHING SAID.

HE EXPLAINED THAT THE MEDICAL CLINICS ORDINANCE, ENACTED IN 1963 TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF CLINICS OF DOUBTFUL STANDARDS. REQUIRES THAT A CLINIC MUST HAVE A REGISTERED MEDICAL PRACTITIONER RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MEDICAL MANAGEMENT OF THE CLINIC AND THE PRACTICE OF MEDICINE THERE.

IT WAS NOT, HOWEVER, THE INTENTION TO BRING TO AN ABRUPT CLOSE ALL CLINICS WHICH DID NOT MEET THIS REQUIREMENT, MANY OF WHICH WERE RUN BY CHARITABLE OR NON-PROFIT MAKING BODIES AND WERE PERFORMING A USEFUL FUNCTION.

THE REGISTRAR