Healthcare groups call on Health Department for regulations

Sixteen health-care professional groups have backed the Ombudsman's call for the Health Department to establish statutory controls over their trades, so the public can make informed choices when seeking services.

There are more than 7,300 practitioners engaged in 15 health-care sectors who are not subject to statutory regulations, but are disciplined by associations or societies that have maintained membership registers, says the Health Department's 2009 manpower survey.

But the societies say they can do very little to regulate their trades without statutory controls as many of them are run on a voluntary basis.

"Our society has about 90 members, but only one-third of them are practising. However, we estimate more than 110 audiologists are working in the trade," June Fok Hiu-ching, internal affairs co-ordinator of the Hong Kong Society of Audiology said.

Audiologists determine whether someone is suffering hearing loss and will provide recommendations, such as using hearing aids, cochlear implants or even surgery.

"Unqualified audiologists may offer the wrong advice to patients, who may suffer permanent hearing damage," Fok said.