XN000022-1984-05-16 — Page 18

WEDNESDAY, MAY 16, 1984

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MEDICAL REGISTRATION BILL PASSED WITH AMENDMENTS

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A BILL MAKING IT EASIER FOR PERSONS HOLDING OVERSEAS MEDICAL QUAL IF ICATIONS TO BE REGISTERED AS MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS IN HONG KONG WAS PASSED IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WITH THREE AMENDMENTS MADE BY UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS.

ONE CLAUSE OF THE MEDICAL REGISTRATION (AMENDMENT) BILL 1984 IN ITS ORIGINAL WORDING WOULD GIVE THE MEDICAL COUNCIL THE POWER TO GRANT FULL EXEMPTION FROM ALL PARTS OF THE LICENTIATE EXAMINATION TO CANDIDATES IT THOUGHT FIT.

SPEAKING AT THE RESUMED DEBATE ON THE BILL, DR THE HON HARRY FANG SAID, WHILE WE TRUST THE MEDICAL COUNCIL WILL ACT IN A RESPONSIBLE MANNER AND BE EXTREMELY CAREFUL IN GRANTING EXEMPTIONS, WE FEEL IT NECESSARY TO PROVIDE SOME PERIMETERS FOR DECISIONS ON EXEMPTION CASE, AS PRACTISED IN OTHER PROFESSIONAL BODIES.

+THIS VIEW WAS SHARED BY THE HONG KONG MEDICAL ASSOCIATION AND THE HONG KONG BRANCH OF THE BRITISH MEDICAL ASSOCIATION WHEN THEY PRESENTED THEIR VIEWS ON THE BILL TO US.+

DR FANG THUS MOVED AN AMENDMENT IN THE COMMITTEE STAGE TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT NO EXEMPTION FROM ANY EXAMINATION IN RESPECT OF MEDICAL KNOWLEDGE SHOULD BE GRANTED UNLESS THE CANDIDATE CAN SATISFY THE MEDICAL COUNCIL THAT HE HAS SUBSTANTIAL EXPERIENCE IN MEDICAL PRACTICE.

DR FANG REPORTED THAT ANOTHER AREA ON WHICH UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS HAD SOUGHT CLARIFICATION CONCERNED APPEAL PROCEDURES RELATING TO EXEMPTION MATTERS.

TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT APPEALS ON THESE MATTERS COULD GO UP TO THE MEDICAL COUNCIL, DR FANG MOVED ANOTHER AMENDMENT TO THE BILL.

JOINING THE DEBATE, DR THE HON HO KAM-FA! POINTED TO A PROJECTED SHORTFALL OF 920 DOCTORS BY 1993 IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR.

+UNLESS PLANS ARE MADE TO OVERCOME THIS SHORTFALL SOON, PLANNED MEDICAL SERVICES AND PROJECTS, LIKE NEW CLINICS, POLYCLINICS, HOSPITALS AND CHILD ASSESSMENT CENTRES WILL EITHER BE DELAYED OR CANCELLED ALTOGETHER, RESULTING IN A CRITICAL SHORTAGE OF PROVISION OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES FOR THE PUBLIC,+ DR HO SAID.

THE AMENDMENTS IN THE BILL, HE POINTED OUT, AIMED TO FACILITATE THE REGISTRATION OF MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS HOLDING OVERSEAS QUAL IF ICATIONS BY REMOVING THE RESIDENTIAL REQUIREMENT FOR LICENTIATE EXAMINATIONS AND BY EMPOWERING THE MEDICAL COUNCIL TO GRANT EXEMPTIONS TO THE TEST OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY AND EXTERNSHIP.

/+THESE WILL