Three studies on regulation of healthcare professionals currently conducted will provide insights and policy guidance to government in developing a unique regulatory framework for healthcare professionals in Hong Kong, critical in ensuring better quality of care and patient safety.

• We have been commissioned by the Department of Health (DH) to develop a novel Accredited Registers Scheme (AR Scheme) for Healthcare Profession which has been piloted in a regulatory system of accreditation assessments for five accredited allied health professional bodies. Evaluation of this pilot AR Scheme has been completed and we identified key recommendations including resources required, publicity, incentives to motivate enrolment etc. to enhance and sustain the scheme. DH has further funded us to conduct a 5-year study for re-accreditation assessment and follow-up reviews for these five accredited healthcare professional bodies.
• In a second related study commissioned by the Food and Health Bureau (FHB), Health and Medical Research Fund (HMRF), we have developed an instrument for assessing healthcare professions to inform the appropriate regulatory oversight to ensure quality and safety of clinical practice.
• In view of the government’s intention to introduce legislative amendments in the 2022 Policy Address 2022 to allow direct access to physiotherapists (PTs) in Hong Kong, we have been awarded by HMFR to conduct a study on the “Development of the Implementation Strategies for the Policy of Direct Access (Patient Self-Referral) to Physiotherapists in Primary Care” which aims to (i) study the policy design of direct access to PTs including the conditions, settings, considerations for training and competence to permit direct access, (ii) identify the associated barriers and facilitators for implementing this policy in Hong Kong, and (iii) inform the development of an implementation strategy to achieve the policy objective.