XN000022-1986-11-12 — Page 9

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 1986

+THE COURT CASE HIGHLIGHTED A NUMBER OF DEFECTS IN THE

EXISTING LAW, + MR CHAMBERS SAID.

HE SAID THE NEW BILL SOUGHT TO RECTIFY THE DEFICIENCIES IN THE MEDICAL REGISTRATION ORDINANCE, THE MEDICAL CLINICS ORDINANCE, AND THE DENTISTS REGISTRATION ORDINANCE.

CLAUSE 4 AMENDED SECTION 27 OF THE MEDICAL REGISTRATION ORDINANCE SO THAT FRAUDULENT REGISTRATION AS A MEDICAL PRACTITIONER BECAME AN INDICTABLE OFFENCE AND CARRIED A HIGHER PENALTY.

CLAUSE 5 AMENDED SECTION 28 OF THE ORDINANCE SO THAT ILLEGAL PRACTICE WOULD BE MADE AN OFFENCE TRIABLE SUMMARILY OR ON INDICTMENT AND WOULD BE SUBJECT TO MUCH MORE SEVERE PENALTIES.

+ IN CASES WHERE SUCH ILLEGAL PRACTICE RESULTS IN INJURY, IT IS PROPOSED THAT THE PENALTY SHOULD BE A MAXIMUM FINE OF $100 000 AND IMPRISONMENT FOR THREE YEARS ON SUMMARY CONVICTION AND IMPRISONMENT FOR SEVEN YEARS ON CONVICTION ON INDICTMENT,+ MR CHAMBERS SAID.

CLAUSE 8

THE BILL ALSO AMENDED THE MEDICAL CLINICS ORDINANCE. PROVIDED THAT PROSECUTIONS RELATING TO OFFENCES OF MANAGING OR PRACTISING MEDICINE IN AN UNREGISTERED CLINIC MIGHT PROCEED BY INDICTMENT,

+AS IN THE CASE OF THE MEDICAL REGISTRATION ORDINANCE, AN ADDITIONAL INDICTABLE OFFENCE WITH HEAVIER PENALTIES IS CREATED TO DEAL WITH CASES WHERE THE TREATMENT GIVEN RESULTS IN INJURY,+ HE SAID.

THE BILL ALSO AMENDED THE DENTISTS REGISTRATION ORDINANCE (CAP 156) ALONG SIMILAR LINES.

MR CHAMBERS EMPHASISED THAT ALTHOUGH THE BILL SOUGHT TO INCREASE THE PENALTIES FOR THE ILLEGAL PRACTICE OF MEDICINE, THE PROVISIONS WOULD NOT APPLY TO THE PRACTICE OF TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE OR TO PRACTICE BY REGISTERED PHARMACISTS, PHYSIOTHERAPISTS, OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS, OPTOMETRISTS, MEDICAL LABORATORY TECHNICIANS OR RADIOGRAPHERS OR TO FIRST AID TREATMENT.

+NOR WILL CHINESE DOCTORS TRAINED IN WESTERN MEDICINE BE AFFECTED SINCE THEY CAN CONTINUE TO BECOME QUAL IF JED TO PRACTISE IN HONG KONG UNDER THE LICENTIATE SCHEME,+ MR CHAMBERS ADDED.

DEBATE ON THE BILL WAS ADJOURNED.

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