The Government announced today (November 12) the establishment of the Special Registration Committee (SRC) in accordance with the amended Medical Registration Ordinance and the appointment of Professor Grace Tang Wai-king as the SRC Chairperson, and Mr Chan Wing-kai, Ms Tennessy Hui Mei-sheung and Mr Anthony Wu Ting-yuk as members. Their term of office will run from November 15, 2021, for three years.  

     Professor Grace Tang Wai-king, Mr Chan Wing-kai and Ms Tennessy Hui Mei-sheung will join the SRC in their capacity as members of the Medical Council of Hong Kong (MCHK). Their term of office as SRC members will cease when they are no longer members of the MCHK. Apart from the four members appointed by the Chief Executive, there are also six ex-officio members in the SRC.

     As a statutory body under the MCHK, the SRC is responsible for determining the list of recognised medical qualifications after reviewing programmes offered by non-local medical schools with quality comparable to those provided by the two medical schools in Hong Kong. It will submit the list to the Registrar of Medical Practitioners (i.e. the Director of Health) for promulgation. Non-locally trained doctors who possess the recognised medical qualifications, subject to their fulfilment of certain criteria, may apply for special registration to practise in the public healthcare institutions. After serving for a certain period, obtaining recognised specialist qualifications and passing stringent assessment, they would be granted full registration to practise in Hong Kong.

     The Government expects the SRC to determine the first batch of recognised medical qualifications within the first half of 2022 to allow qualified non-locally trained doctors to serve in the public healthcare institutions in Hong Kong under special registration.

     The Secretary for Food and Health, Professor Sophia Chan, said, "In view of the shortage of doctors in the public healthcare system, members of the public hope that more qualified non-locally trained doctors would come to work in Hong Kong. Given Professor Tang's wealth of experience in medical education and public service, I am confident that the SRC is capable of discharging its statutory duties effectively under her leadership and will be able to draw up the list of recognised medical qualifications as soon as possible.

     "The other three members have substantial experience and expertise in different areas, including accounting, legal services and patients' rights. We are confident that they, alongside the other six senior executives of public healthcare institutions and statutory bodies, will provide valuable advice and ensure that the SRC will draw up the list in a smooth and timely manner."

     The membership list of the SRC is as follows:
 

Chairperson:
Professor Grace Tang Wai-king	(Member, Medical Council of Hong Kong)
Members:
Dr Ronald Lam Man-kin or his representative	(Director of Health)
Dr Tony Ko Pat-sing or his representative	(Chief Executive, Hospital Authority)
Professor Joseph Lau Wan-yee	(Chairman, Medical Council of Hong Kong)
Professor Gilberto Leung Ka-kit	(President, Hong Kong Academy of Medicine)
Professor Gabriel Leung	(Dean, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong)
Professor Francis Chan Ka-leung	(Dean, Faculty of Medicine, Chinese University of Hong Kong)
Mr Chan Wing-kai	(Member, Medical Council of Hong Kong)
Ms Tennessy Hui Mei-sheung	(Member, Medical Council of Hong Kong)
Mr Anthony Wu Ting-yuk

 

Ends/Friday, November 12, 2021
Issued at HKT 11:23

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