The Hospital Authority today submitted seven non-local doctors' applications to the Medical Council for limited registration to serve in public hospitals.

Five new applications for limited registration cover family medicine, neurosurgery, paediatrics and radiology, while the renewal applications for two non-locally trained doctors cover emergency medicine and family medicine.

There are currently 12 non-locally trained doctors working in public hospitals under limited registration to relieve manpower shortage and workload pressure of front line doctors.

In April, the authority expanded the scope of the limited registration recruitment scheme to all specialties at the Service Resident rank, and to recruit non-locally trained specialists at the rank of Associate Consultant in specialties facing significant manpower shortage.