Reform of the regulation of medical practitioners in Hong

Kong: a comparison and a survey

Dr TK Chan MBChB MRCS LLM

Assistant Professor, AnatomyLi Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine

The University of Hong Kong

The blame?

Beauty centre individual rules/regulation

Medical doctor individual rules/regulation

Current regulation

Non-specialists

can practise as a general practitioner independently without any postgraduate training in family medicine;

do not have to regularly revalidate their licenses; and may give invasive cosmetic treatment even without a specialist’s qualification in plastic surgery or dermatology.

It has 47 members. 11 are elected members from the profession

The rest are the nominees of the Privy Council, the Universities, the Royal Colleges and the Licensing Corporations.

There were 3 lay members.

GMC in the 50s

Disciplinary process

Penal Cases CommitteePenal Cases Committee

Disciplinary CommitteeDisciplinary Committee

Investigation

Hearing and decision making

The Disciplinary Committee:

6 of the 18 members were directly elected members of the GMC.

Any member of the GMC on the Penal Cases Committee is precluded from serving on the Disciplinary Committee when that same case is under inquiry.

Licensed doctors do not have to revalidate their license or receive any compulsory education

It comprises 12 members. 6 are lay members and 6 medical members, all of whom are appointed by Privy Council against specified criteria and competencies.

GMC nowadays

Disciplinary process

Case examinersCase examiners

Fitness to Practice PanelFitness to Practice Panel

Investigation

Hearing and decision making

Investigation Committee

Investigation Committee

Interim Order PanelInterim Order Panel

Council members cannot serve as case examiners or sit on the Investigation Committees, or Fitness to Practise Panels

All licensed doctors have to revalidate every five years by having regular appraisals.

Medical Council of Hong Kong comprises 28 members.

14 are elected members from the profession.

There are 4 lay members.

MCHK nowadays

Disciplinary process

Preliminary Investgiation Committee

Preliminary Investgiation Committee

Disciplinary InquiryDisciplinary Inquiry

Investigation

Hearing and decision making

There are 7 members on the Preliminary Investigation Committee. The quorum of a meeting is 3, at least 2 of which are council members.

For Disciplinary Inquiries, 5 council members or 3 council members + 2 independent assessors will form a quorum.

Disciplinary process

Licensed doctors on the General Register are not required to receive any continuing education or revalidate their license. Continuing medical education is only required for registered specialists who want to remain on the Specialist Register.

Revalidation

Singapore nowadays

Complaints CommitteeComplaints Committee

Disciplinary TribunalDisciplinary Tribunal

Investigation

Hearing and decision making

Interim Order Committee

Interim Order Committee

All licensed doctors have to participate in compulsory continuing medical education

Singapore nowadays

Taiwan nowadays

Central, municipality, or county authorities

Central, municipality, or county authorities

Committee on the Discipline of Physicians

Committee on the Discipline of Physicians

Investigation

Hearing and decision making

All licensed doctors have to participate in compulsory continuing medical education and submit documentary proof of completed continued education every six years to renew their practice license.

Taiwan nowadays

Constitution of regulators

Revalidation of medical professionals

Tackling concerns about medical professionals

Proposed changes in Hong Kong

A cross-sectional telephone survey from 8 December 2012 to 13 December 2012

The telephone numbers of households were generated by random-digit dialing

Methodology of the survey

A total of 1066 eligible respondents were reached and 811 completed the interview.

Sample data were weighted to adjust for their difference from the general population

Methodology of the survey