Limited registration application for non-local doctors

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

　　The Hospital Authority (HA) today (May 15) submitted to the Medical Council of Hong Kong (MCHK) the applications of five non-locally trained doctors for limited registration to serve in public hospitals. Among the five applications, two are new applications while the other three are for renewal.
 
　　The HA spokesperson said public hospitals have been facing doctor manpower shortage and workload issues in various clinical units. The recruitment of non-locally trained doctors has been supported by the respective co-ordinating committees and endorsed by the HA Task Force on Limited Registration Scheme.
 
　　"With the Medical Registration (Amendment) Bill 2017 passing on March 28, 2018 the period of limited registration has been changed from not exceeding one year to not exceeding three years. Along with the contract term of up to three years offered by the HA since 2017, it may help reduce the uncertainty on working arrangement and hence attract more non-locally trained doctors to Hong Kong to relieve the manpower situation in the public healthcare system," the spokesperson said.
 
　　The two new applications for limited registration submitted to the MCHK today are in cardiothoracic surgery and emergency medicine respectively. Regarding the renewal applications for three non-locally trained doctors (one in emergency medicine, one in family medicine and one in radiology), their one-year limited registration will expire in the third quarter of 2018.
 
　　Currently, there are 14 non-local doctors working in public hospitals as service residents under limited registration in the specialties of anaesthesia, emergency medicine, family medicine, internal medicine and radiology to help relieve manpower pressure in the respective units.