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The following is issued on behalf of the Nursing Council of Hong Kong:

The Nursing Council of Hong Kong (the Council) conducts examinations in accordance with sections 8 and 14 of the Nurses Registration Ordinance (the Ordinance) (Chapter 164, Laws of Hong Kong) for the registration and enrolment of nurses.

Regulation 13(3) of the Nurses (Registration and Disciplinary Procedure) Regulations (Chapter 164 subsidiary legislation A) and the Enrolled Nurses (Enrolment and Disciplinary Procedure) Regulations (Chapter 164 subsidiary legislation B) stipulate that any person who has, on two occasions, failed to pass a required examination shall not be entitled to enter again for that examination unless he has undergone a period of additional training and instruction, being not less than six months at a training school approved by the Council for that branch of nursing in which he has applied to be examined.

In line with the current international trend in pre-registration nursing education, it is the Government's policy to upgrade basic nursing education to degree level in order to enhance the quality of health care services.

With the decrease in the number of local training schools offering sub-degree programmes, it is increasingly difficult for applicants who have failed to pass an examination on two occasions, especially those who are trained outside Hong Kong, to meet the aforesaid requirement of undergoing additional training and instruction of not less than six months before being allowed to enter the examination again.

As sections 8(2) and 14(2) of the Ordinance already empower the Council to require applicants for registration or enrolment to prove their competency in nursing by undergoing specified training even after they have passed a required examination, the Council considered it appropriate to remove the training requirement prescribed in regulation 13(3) of Chapter 164 subsidiary legislation A and B. The existing licensing examination will continue to provide effective screening, and the proposed removal of the training requirement therefore should not compromise the standard of nurses.

On January 7, 2004, the Council, in exercise of the power under section 27(3) of the Ordinance and with the approval of the Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, made the following regulations: --

(a) the Nurses (Registration and Disciplinary Procedure) (Amendment) Regulation 2004; and

(b) the Enrolled Nurses (Enrolment and Disciplinary Procedure) (Amendment) Regulation 2004.

These two regulations repeal regulation 13(3) of Chapter 164 subsidiary legislation A and B, so that applicants for registration or enrolment who have failed to pass an examination on two occasions will not be required to undergo additional training and instruction of not less than six months at an approved training school before entering again for that examination. The regulations will come into operation on April 1, 2004.

Enquiries can be made to the secretariat of the Council on 2527 8325.

Ends/Friday, January 30, 2004

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