Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners (Registration of Acupuncturists) Regulations

Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners Act

(Chapter 333A, Section 14(4))

Rg 1

G.N. No. S 95/2001

REVISED EDITION 2002

(30th September 2002)

[30th September 2002]

Citation

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners (Registration of Acupuncturists) Regulations.

Definitions

2. In these Regulations —

“approved foreign qualification in traditional Chinese medicine” means a degree, diploma or certificate in traditional Chinese medicine obtained from a foreign traditional Chinese medicine training institution specified in Part II of the Second Schedule or such other degree, diploma or certificate from a foreign traditional Chinese medicine training institution as may be acceptable to the Board for the purposes of regulation 6 (1) (a) (i) (B) and (b) (iii) (A);

“approved local qualification in traditional Chinese medicine” means a certificate, diploma or degree in traditional Chinese medicine from a local traditional Chinese medicine training institution specified in Part I of the Second Schedule or such other training institution as may be acceptable to the Board;

“Category A local diploma” means a diploma in traditional Chinese medicine obtained upon successfully completing a part-time course of not less than 5 years duration conducted by a local traditional Chinese medicine training institute approved by the Board;

“Category B local diploma” means a diploma or certificate in traditional Chinese medicine obtained upon successfully completing a part-time course of less than 5 years duration conducted by a local traditional Chinese medicine training institute approved by the Board;

“conditional registration” means a registration subject to such conditions as the Board thinks fit;

“Examinations Committee” means an Examinations Committee referred to in section 27 of the Act.

Registration Committee

3.—(1) The Board may appoint a committee to be known as the Registration Committee to assist the Board in dealing with applications for registration as an acupuncturist.

(2) The Registration Committee shall consist of not less than 3 members of the Board and such number of other persons as the Board may determine.

(3) The Board shall appoint a member of the Registration Committee as the Chairman of the Committee.

(4) The term of office of the members and the quorum of the Registration Committee shall be determined by the Board.

(5) The Board may refer to the Registration Committee any application for registration and the Committee shall consider such application and recommend to the Board whether —

(a)	the applicant should be granted full, conditional or provisional registration, as the case may be;
(b)	the application should be refused; or
(c)	the applicant should be required to sit for and pass a qualifying examination before being granted any type of registration.

(6) For the purpose of making a recommendation under paragraph (5), the Registration Committee may —

(a)	interview the applicant;
(b)	make inquiries relating to the applicant’s qualifications and practical experience as the Committee thinks necessary; and
(c)	take such other action as the Committee considers necessary.

(7) Upon considering the recommendation of the Registration Committee, the Board may —

(a)	accept the recommendation of the Committee; or
(b)	refer the matter back to the Committee for further consideration.

Application for registration

4.—(1) An application for registration as an acupuncturist under section 14 of the Act shall be made in such form as the Board may provide.

(2) The application form shall be submitted by the applicant to the Registrar and shall be accompanied by the following:

(a)	a certified true copy of the relevant certificate, diploma or degree;
(b)	where applicable, details in writing of the applicant’s practical experience in acupuncture, including details of the nature, duration and extent of the experience in such form as the Board may require;
(c)	where the applicant is required to sit for a qualifying examination, a certified true copy of the certificate issued by the Examinations Committee certifying that the applicant has passed such examination;
(d)	where the applicant is registered to carry out acupuncture in a foreign country, a certified true copy of the certificate of registration of the applicant in that foreign country;
(e)	where applicable, a certificate of good standing from the registration body of a country where the applicant has been registered stating that on the date of issue the applicant is registered as a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner in that country and that no proceedings have been taken or are pending against him;
(f)	2 recent passport size photographs of the applicant;
(g)	the appropriate fee; and
(h)	such other documents (including any statutory declaration) and information as the Board may require.

(3) Any document referred to in paragraph (2) which is not in English or Chinese shall be accompanied by a certified translation thereof in English or Chinese.

(4) The Registrar may require the applicant to produce such proof of identity as he thinks fit.

Fee payable for registration

5. The fee for an application for registration as an acupuncturist shall be as specified in the First Schedule.

Full registration

6.—(1) The following persons may be granted full registration as an acupuncturist:

(a)

a person who —

(i)

has obtained —

(A)	an approved local qualification in traditional Chinese medicine; or
(B)	an approved foreign qualification in traditional Chinese medicine, and such practical experience in such organisation or institution as may be acceptable to the Board;

(ii)

passes such qualifying examination as the Board may require; and

(iii)

is, in the opinion of the Board, a fit and proper person to be granted full registration as an acupuncturist;

(b)

a person who —

(i)

is a citizen or permanent resident of Singapore;

(ii)

submits his application for registration on or before 8th March 2001;

(iii)

subject to paragraph (2) —

(A)	has obtained an approved foreign qualification in traditional Chinese medicine;
(B)	has practised acupuncture in Singapore continuously since 1st July 1990, and has during that period of practice held a Category A local diploma; or
(C)	has practised acupuncture in Singapore continuously since 1st July 1985; and

(iv)

is, in the opinion of the Board, a fit and proper person to be granted full registration as an acupuncturist;

(c)

a person who —

(i)

is a citizen or permanent resident of Singapore;

(ii)

submits his application for registration on or before 8th March 2001;

(iii)

subject to paragraph (2) —

(A)	has practised acupuncture in Singapore continuously for such period of time as may be acceptable to the Board, and has during that period of practice held such foreign qualification in a traditional Chinese medicine as the Board may allow other than an approved foreign qualification in traditional Chinese medicine;
(B)	has practised acupuncture in Singapore continuously since a date between 1st July 1990 and 2nd July 1995, and has during that period of practice held a Category B local diploma;
(C)	has practised acupuncture in Singapore continuously since a date on or after 2nd July 1995, and has during that period of practice held a Category A local diploma; or
(D)	has practised acupuncture in Singapore continuously since 1st July 1990;

(iv)

subject to paragraph (3), passes such qualifying examination as the Board may require; and

(v)

is, in the opinion of the Board, a fit and proper person to be granted full registration as an acupuncturist;

(d)

a person who —

(i)

is a citizen or permanent resident of Singapore;

(ii)

submits his application for registration on or before 8th March 2001;

(iii)

subject to paragraph (2) —

(A)	has practised acupuncture in Singapore continuously since a date on or after 2nd July 1995, and has during that period of practice held a Category B local diploma; or
(B)	has practised acupuncture in Singapore continuously since a date on or after 2nd July 1990;

(iv)

passes such qualifying examination as the Board may require; and

(v)

is, in the opinion of the Board, a fit and proper person to be granted full registration as an acupuncturist; or

(e)

a person who is allowed by the Board to apply for full registration under regulation 8 (5).

(2) The Board may in any particular case waive the requirements of paragraph (1)(b)(iii), (c)(iii) or (d)(iii) to such extent as it thinks fit in all the circumstances of the case.

(3) A person referred to in paragraph (1)(c) shall not be required to pass a qualifying examination referred to in paragraph (1)(c)(iv) if upon an evaluation by the Board, the Board is of the view that it is unnecessary for him to do so.

(4) A person who wishes to be evaluated by the Board under paragraph (3) shall pay to the Board the fee specified in the First Schedule.

Conditional registration

7.—(1) A person may be granted conditional registration if he —

(a)	holds such academic qualification as the Board may determine;
(b)	has been selected for employment in Singapore as an acupuncturist in an organisation or institution acceptable to the Board;
(c)	satisfies the Board that he has the knowledge and skill and has acquired the experience which is necessary for practice as an acupuncturist; and
(d)	is, in the opinion of the Board, a fit and proper person to be granted conditional registration as an acupuncturist.

(2) A person who has been granted conditional registration under this regulation may apply for full registration upon qualifying for such registration under regulation 6 (1) (a).

Provisional registration

8.—(1) A person may be granted provisional registration if he —

(a)

is a citizen or permanent resident of Singapore;

(b)

submits his application for registration on or before 8th March 2001;

(c)

subject to paragraph (2) —

(i)	has practised acupuncture in Singapore continuously since a date between 1st July 1985 and 2nd July 1990, and has during that period of practice held a Category B local diploma; or
(ii)	has practised acupuncture in Singapore continuously since a date between 1st July 1990 and 2nd July 1995, and has during that period of practice held a Category A local diploma; and

(d)

is, in the opinion of the Board, a fit and proper person to be granted provisional registration as an acupuncturist.

(2) The Board may in any particular case waive the requirements of paragraph (1)(c) to such extent as it thinks fit in all the circumstances of the case.

(3) A provisional registration may be granted for a period not exceeding 3 years.

(4) The Board may, during the period of the provisional registration, require the registered person to undergo observation, complete such training or fulfill such other condition as the Board thinks fit.

(5) Where the Board is satisfied with the performance of the registered person during the period of observation and upon proof that the registered person has completed such training or fulfilled such other condition as required by the Board, the Board may allow the registered person to apply for full registration.

Courses for qualifying examination

9. Unless the Board otherwise allows, no person shall be entitled to sit for a qualifying examination referred to in regulation 6 unless he has satisfactorily completed such course of training in traditional Chinese medicine as the Board may accredit for the purpose of that examination.

Application to sit for qualifying examination

10.—(1) A person who wishes to sit for a qualifying examination shall make an application to the Examinations Committee in such form as the Board may provide, accompanied by payment of the fee specified in the First Schedule.

(2) The application referred to in paragraph (1) shall be accompanied by a certificate or such other document as the Board may require certifying that the applicant has satisfactorily completed a course of training referred to in regulation 9.

Results of qualifying examination and number of attempts

11.—(1) The Examinations Committee shall notify in writing each person who sits for a qualifying examination as to whether he has passed or failed that examination.

(2) A person who is unsuccessful in his first attempt at a qualifying examination may make such further number of attempts to pass the qualifying examination as the Board may allow.

Duplicate of certificate of registration

12.—(1) Where a certificate of registration granted by the Board under section 16 of the Act has been lost, destroyed, defaced or obliterated so that any particulars in such certificate is illegible, the holder thereof shall forthwith notify the Registrar.

(2) Subject to paragraphs (4) and (5), the Registrar shall, on payment of the fee specified in the First Schedule, if he is satisfied that a certificate of registration has been lost, destroyed, defaced or obliterated, issue a duplicate of such certificate to the holder of the original thereof.

(3) A duplicate of a certificate of registration shall have the same effect as the original.

(4) In the case of a certificate of registration which has been defaced or obliterated, no duplicate of such certificate shall be issued unless the original certificate is returned to the Registrar.

(5) In the case of a certificate of registration which has been lost or destroyed, no duplicate of such certificate shall be issued unless the holder thereof makes a statutory declaration of the loss or destruction and furnishes it to the Registrar.

(6) Where any original certificate of registration is found after any duplicate thereof is issued under this regulation, the holder of the certificate shall immediately return the duplicate to the Registrar for cancellation.

(7) Any person who fails to comply with paragraph (6) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $1,000.

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