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EPD takes action on concrete plants

The Environmental Protection Department said it does not tolerate concrete batching plants operating without a licence and will make every effort to stop any illegal operations.   The department made the statement in response to media reports yesterday of a concrete batching plant at 20 Tung Yuen Street in Yau Tong continuing to operate without holding a valid Specified Process Licence (SPL).   The department has been closely monitoring the operation of two plants, both owned by China Concrete. The other plant is at 22 Tung Yuen Street in Yau Tong.   Regarding the plant at 20 Tung Yuen Street, the Air Pollution Control Appeal Board dismissed an appeal lodged by China Concrete against the department’s refusal of its application for renewal of an SPL for the plant on November 22.   Under the Air Pollution Control (Specified Processes) Regulations, the plant’s SPL ceased to be valid with immediate effect and the department issued a letter requesting that all works be halte

Doctor registration bill backed

The Medical Registration (Amendment) Bill 2021 can help increase and stabilise the supply of medical talents for Hong Kong, the Hospital Authority said today.   In response to a recent online commentary, the authority said in a statement that it welcomed the Government’s announcement on submitting the bill to the Legislative Council on June 2 to introduce a new pathway for non-locally trained Hong Kong doctors to return and serve in the city.   The bill stipulates that doctors applying for special registration must be Hong Kong permanent residents.   The authority noted that it will continue to collaborate with the Academy of Medicine to facilitate non-locally trained doctors to receive specialist training while working in Hong Kong, assess their job performance for the five years following the attainment of their specialist qualification and acknowledge their competence as doctors before they can apply for full registration.   The commentary stating that the bill's purpose is to introduce mainland doctors is purely speculative, arouses undue conflicts and misleads the public, the authority said, adding that the Government is imposing a higher requirement for non-locally-trained doctors in comparison with locally trained doctors who can obtain full registration after completing a one-year internship.   The authority stressed that the purpose of the bill is to attract non-locally trained doctors, who are Hong Kong permanent residents, to return to Hong Kong and serve for a specific period of time in the public healthcare sector.   By serving in the public healthcare sector for an extended period of time, the non-locally trained doctors will definitely help relieve frontline doctors’ workload, it added.   Although the two local universities have progressively increased the intake of medical students, while the authority has recruited all suitable local medical graduates, supply still falls short of the city’s demand due to an ageing population and rising service needs.   The authority noted it was concerned about the manpower situation of doctors in public hospitals and has implemented various human resources measures to increase and retain manpower, meet service demand and alleviate frontline doctors’ workload.   It also trusted that the Government’s proposed plan could increase and stabilise the supply of medical talents and hoped the profession could be more liberal in the discussion.
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