Press Releases

The Chinese Medicine Practitioners (Fees) Regulation which provides for the fees relating to the registration of Chinese medicine practitioners under the Chinese Medicine Ordinance, was published in the Gazette today (May 19).

"In the light of comments from Legislative Council Members, the community and the Chinese medicine profession, we have decided to adopt a phased approach in recovering the full cost of administering the registration of Chinese medicine practitioners. The fees provided in the Chinese Medicine Practitioners (Fees) Regulation are set to achieve 70 per cent cost recovery," a spokesman from the Health and Welfare Bureau said.

The Chinese Medicine Ordinance provides for a transitional arrangement to facilitate the registration of the existing Chinese medicine practitioners.

The amount of fees to be paid by individual practitioners now practising in Hong Kong will depend on their experience and academic qualifications.

"Those with no less than 15 years of experience, or those with no less than 10 years of experience but with recognized qualifications will be exempted from the Licensing Examination. These practitioners are required to pay only $2,058 for registration purpose, comprising $833 as registration fee and $1,225 for a practising certificate (which will be valid for three years)," the spokesman explained.

"Those with no less than 10 years of experience, or those with less than 10 years of experience but with recognized qualifications will be required to undertake a registration assessment conducted by the Practitioners Board. Such practitioners will be required to pay $3,213 for registration.

"In addition to these fees for registration, existing practitioners are required to pay a fee of $455 for inclusion of their names in a list maintained by the Practitioners Board to allow them to continue to practise Chinese medicine while applying for registration and undertaking registration assessment or licensing examination.

"We expect that a substantial number of the existing Chinese medicine practitioners will be able to register under the transitional arrangement. Only those with less than 10 years' experience and without appropriate academic qualifications will need to take the Licensing Examination and pay the relevant fees," the spokesman said.

The Regulation will be tabled at the Legislative Council on 24 May 2000.

"We aim at launching the registration of Chinese medicine practitioners within the next few months," the spokesman added.

Another two regulations relating to the registration of Chinese medicine practitioners were also gazetted today, namely the Chinese Medicine Practitioners (Registration) Regulation and the Chinese Medicine Practitioners (Discipline) Regulation. The former sets out certain registration procedures and related matters whereas the latter provides for the disciplinary procedures to be followed in handling complaints against registered Chinese medicine practitioners.

The major fee items for registration as Chinese medicine practitioners are set out below :

(a) application for inclusion of a name in the list of Chinese medicine practitioners maintained by the Practitioners Board (to allow the applicant to continue to practise Chinese medicine while applying for registration and undertaking registration assessment or Licensing Examination) (one-off) - $455;

(b) application for registration (one-off) - $833;

(c) application for a practising certificate (valid for 3 years) -$1,225;

(d) registration assessment - $1,155;

(e) application for taking the Licensing Examination - $1,022;

(f) taking Licensing Examination (Part I) - $1,841; and

(g) taking Licensing Examination (Part II) - $2,688.

End/Friday, May 19, 2000

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