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LCQ7: Sick leave certificates issued by chiropractors
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    Following is a written reply by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, to a question by the Hon Wong Kwok-hing on sick leave certificates issued by chiropractors in the Legislative Council today (July 9):

Question:

    The legislation regulating chiropractors has been implemented since 1993.  However, sick leave certificates issued by them have not been recognised so far.  I, together with representatives of chiropractors, met with the then Permanent Secretary for Economic Development and Labour and the Commissioner for Labour on April 23 last year.  At the meeting, the Commissioner indicated that a working group had been formed by the Labour Department in conjunction with the Department of Health to discuss matters concerning the issue of sick leave certificates by chiropractors, and that the group had already held seven meetings.  The Bureau had also promised that conclusion would be available by the end of last year.  In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(a) of the membership list of the working group, the dates of its meetings held so far, and the contents of discussion at each of the meetings; and

(b) whether the working group has so far reached a conclusion on matters concerning the issue of sick leave certificates by chiropractors; if so, of the conclusion, as well as the justifications for the conclusion; if not, when the conclusion will be reached?

Reply:

Madam President,

    An inter-bureaux/departmental Working Group, comprising representatives of the Labour Department, Food and Health Bureau, Department of Health and Civil Service Bureau, was set up in November 2005 to study the feasibility of recognising sick leave certificates issued by registered chiropractors under labour legislation.

    So far, the Working Group has held nine meetings to examine and exchange views on a wide range of issues related to the subject.  The issues considered by the Working Group include the regulatory framework of chiropractors, relevance of the professional training of chiropractors to medical functions performed under labour laws, codes of practice of registered chiropractors vis-ˆj-vis those of other healthcare professionals recognised under labour laws, overseas experiences and practices in recognising chiropractors under labour laws, as well as community knowledge and acceptance of chiropractic practice etc.  Moreover, to tap the views of relevant stakeholders, the Working Group has held discussion sessions with representatives of chiropractors associations, members of the Chiropractors Council of Hong Kong, human resources practitioners and insurance practitioners underwriting employees¡¦ compensation insurance.

    Noting that there are significant variations in the roles of chiropractors in different countries, the Working Group will soon undertake a study mission to learn at first hand the experiences and practices of countries with situations similar to Hong Kong on the roles of chiropractors in labour affairs and the related framework.  It will also study in greater detail the latest development in those places.  The Working Group will analyse the information thus collected in the study mission before formulating its views on the subject.  The Administration will then consult the Labour Advisory Board on the findings of the Working Group.

Ends/Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Issued at HKT 12:41

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