Chinese Medicine Council of Hong Kong

Limited Registration

Under section 83 of the Chinese Medicine Ordinance, where an educational or scientific research institution intends to engage a person -

1. who is not a registered Chinese medicine practitioner registered by the Chinese Medicine Practitioners Board of the Chinese Medicine Council of Hong Kong (the Council); or

2. who has a qualification that qualifies him to apply to be registered but it is impracticable for him to obtain registration under section 69 of the Chinese Medicine Ordinance in the circumstances,

to perform predominantly clinical teaching or research in Chinese medicine for the institution, the institution may apply to the Chinese Medicine Practitioners Board on behalf of the person for limited registration of that person.

Applications for limited registration should be made by institutions specified by the Chinese Medicine Practitioners Board in the gazette of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Institutions which may apply for limited registration as specified by the Chinese Medicine Practitioners Board include the University of Hong Kong, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Baptist University, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and Hospital Authority.

Qualifications of the applicant

The person on whose behalf application is made (the applicant) by institutions specified by the Chinese Medicine Practitioners Board in the Gazette (the applying institution) must have satisfactorily completed such undergraduate degree course of training in Chinese medicine practice or its equivalent as is acceptable to the Chinese Medicine Practitioners Board, and possesses adequate and relevant full-time experience in Chinese medicine practice.

The applicant should submit objective evidence to support the relevant practising, clinical teaching or research experience. Where necessary, the Chinese Medicine Practitioners Board may arrange interview with the applicant to verify his experience.

Assessment of the application for limited registration

Under the Chinese Medicine Ordinance, the person with limited registration can only perform the specified clinical teaching or research in the institution. The applying institution should give details on the applicant's duties and responsibilities, as well as the clinical teaching or research to be performed by the applicant in the institution, including the research topic, the course, format and contents of teaching, etc. The Chinese Medicine Practitioners Board will determine whether the work of the applicant in the institution belongs to clinical teaching or research according to the information submitted by the applying institution. Where necessary, the Chinese Medicine Practitioners Board may send officers to the applying institution to assess the relevant clinical teaching or research programmes and the complementary facilities of the institution.

Certificate of limited registration

Where an application for limited registration is approved by the Chinese Medicine Practitioners Board, the Registrar of Chinese Medicine Practitioners will issue a certificate of limited registration to the applicant.

Limits of limited registration

Under section 86 of the Chinese Medicine Ordinance, the validity period of the limited registration approved by the Chinese Medicine Practitioners Board does not exceed one year. The person with limited registration can only perform the specified clinical teaching or research in Chinese medicine in the named employing institution subject to such conditions or restrictions, if any, as specified by the Chinese Medicine Practitioners Board.

Unlawful use of title and practice of Chinese medicine

Under section 108(4) of the Chinese Medicine Ordinance, any person with limited registration who wilfully or falsely pretends to be qualified to practise Chinese medicine, or wilfully or falsely takes or uses any name, title, addition or description implying that he is qualified to practise Chinese medicine, beyond the limits defined in the direction under sections 85 and 86 of the Chinese Medicine Ordinance relating to that registration, commits an offence and is liable to a fine at level 3 and to imprisonment for 6 months.

Procedures for applying for limited registration

How to apply

If the applying institution wishes to apply for limited registration on behalf of the person to be employed, the institution should complete the application form for limited registration, and submit it together with the following documents to the Secretariat of the Chinese Medicine Council by post or in person during office hours three months before the date of employment:

1.
the duly completed application form;

2.
three recent photos of the applicant of a size of 40 x 60 mm (i.e. photos should be taken within 6 months before the submission of application);

3.
a crossed cheque or bank draft for the prescribed application fee (HK$960) made payable to "香港特別行政區政府", "The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region" or "The Government of the HKSAR" with the names of the applying institution and the applicant written at the back. The application fee will not be refunded once the application is processed ;

4.
information and evidence on the clinical teaching or research programme;

5.
certified true copies of the applicant's documentary proofs of academic qualifications;

6.
certified true copies of the applicant's documentary proofs of practice;

7.
certified true copies of the documentary proofs of the clinical teaching or research in Chinese medicine performed by the applicant.

The Chinese Medicine Practitioners Board may require the applying institution and the applicant to submit other documentary proofs and the originals of the above-mentioned documents for verification.

Application fee

The application fee of limited registration is HK$960.

Documentary proofs of academic qualifications to be submitted by the applicant

The documentary proofs to be submitted by the applicant include diplomas, certificates, transcripts of studies in Chinese medicine and other documentary proofs required by the Chinese Medicine Practitioners Board.

Documentary proofs of practice to be submitted by the applicant

The documentary proofs of experience in Chinese medicine practice stated in the application form by the applicant may include:

1. proofs of practice and period of practice issued by the employing institution;

2. proofs of work;

3. proofs of employment;

4. practising certificates of other countries or regions;

5. other information as required by the Chinese Medicine Practitioners Board.

Notify the applying institution of the result of application

The Secretariat of the Council will notify the applying institution of the result of the application in writing according to the decision of the Chinese Medicine Practitioners Board. Where the Chinese Medicine Practitioners Board refuses an application, the Secretariat will notify the applying institution of the refusal reason(s) and inform it of the rights and ways of appeal.

Providing false evidence

If any applicant provides false/misleading information, he will not be qualified for registration. Moreover, under section 107 of the Chinese Medicine Ordinance, any person who fraudulently procures or attempts to procure himself or any other person to be registered as a Chinese medicine practitioner with limited registration, by making or producing, or causing to be made or produced, any false or fraudulent representations or declaration, either oral or in writing, commits an offence and is liable on conviction upon indictment to imprisonment for 3 years.

Information of the applying institution and the applicant

The information provided by the applying institution and the applicant is mainly for use within the Chinese Medicine Council for the purpose of facilitating the provisions of the Chinese Medicine Ordinance, it may also be disclosed to other government bureaux/departments, agencies or authorities for the purposes of implementing the Chinese Medicine Ordinance. The public can have access to the registration information of the institutions which are qualified to make applications for limited registration or that of Chinese medicine practitioners with limited registration, including their names, addresses and qualifications, etc. published in the gazette of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the homepage of the Chinese Medicine Council. Apart from these, the other information will only be disclosed where the applying institution or the applicant has given consent to such disclosure or where such disclosure is allowed under the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance.

The applying institution or the applicant can access and correct the information. However, a fee may be imposed for complying with a data access request. Should there be any amendment to the information of the institution, or personal particulars of the applicant or the registration information, the applying institution or the applicant should notify the Secretariat of the Council in writing as soon as possible.