Registered and Listed Chinese Medicine Practitioners
To safeguard public health, a registration system for Chinese medicine practitioners is set up under the Chinese Medicine Ordinance. In the long run, only registered Chinese medicine practitioners are allowed to practise Chinese medicine in Hong Kong. In addition, to recognize the contributions of the practising Chinese medicine practitioners, the Ordinance also provides for transitional arrangements for such practitioners as listed Chinese medicine practitioners.
Long-term arrangement
•To be a registered Chinese medicine practitioner, one must have completed an undergraduate degree course in Chinese medicine practice approved by the Chinese Medicine Practitioners Board of the Chinese Medicine Council of Hong Kong and pass the licensing examination organized by the Board.
Transitional arrangements
•Chinese medicine practitioners who were practising Chinese medicine in Hong Kong on 3 January 2000 could apply to become a listed Chinese medicine practitioner. According to their academic qualification and practising experience in Chinese medicine, they become registered practioners by three different ways (i.e. Direct Registration, Registration Assessment or Licensing Examination).
•During the transitional period, both registered and listed Chinese medicine practitioners can practise Chinese medicine lawfully. When the Secretary for Health promulgates that the transitional period comes to an end, only registered Chinese medicine practitioners can practise lawfully, and listed Chinese medicine practitioners can no longer practise.
Major differences between practices of registered and listed Chinese medicine practitioners
First, their titles are different.
Registered Chinese medicine practitioners use the title of “registered Chinese medicine practitioner of the Chinese Medicine Council of Hong Kong” or “registered Chinese medicine practitioner”, plus “general practice”, “acupuncture” or “bone-setting” after their title.
Listed Chinese medicine practitioners use the title of “Chinese medicine practitioner” only.
Second, the certificates posted in their clinics are different.
(i.e. “Notice of Listed Chinese Medicine Practitioner” and “Practising Certificate for Registered Chinese Medicine Practitioner”.)
Third, their codes of practice are different.
(i.e. “Code of Practice for Registered Chinese Medicine Practitioners” and “Code of Practice for Listed Chinese Medicine Practitioners.)
Fourth, their rights of prescribing toxic Chinese herbal medicines are different.
(i.e. Registered Chinese Medicine Practitioners can prescribe 31 toxic Chinese herbal medicines in Schedule 1 of Chinese Medicine Ordinance but Listed Chinese Medicine Practitioners cannot.)
Enquiries
1. Enquire at the Secretariat of the Chinese Medicine Council of Hong Kong. The address is 22/F, Wu Chung House, 213 Queen’s Road East, Wan Chai, Hong Kong, and the enquiry telephone number is 2121 1888.
2. Visit the website of the Chinese Medicine Council of Hong Kong at www.cmchk.org.hk
Chinese Medicine Regulatory Office
Department of Health
Website: www.cmro.gov.hk