### Social Workers Registration Ordinance 《社會工作者註冊條例》

23. Correction of errors on Register
The Registrar may correct any error apparent on the face of the Register (including any omission from the Register).

24. Duty of registered social workers to report charges and convictions
A registered social worker who has, at any time on or after the date of the statutory declaration made by him pursuant to section 37(5), been charged with or convicted of any offence, whether in Hong Kong or elsewhere, shall as soon as reasonably practicable after he has been charged or convicted, as the case may be, serve a notice in writing on the Board specifying the nature of the offence in respect of which he has been charged or convicted (and notwithstanding that, in the case of a conviction for an offence, the social worker has previously served a notice under this section relating to his being charged with that offence).

### Social Workers Registration Ordinance 《社會工作者註冊條例》

26. Disciplinary committee panel
(1) The Board shall appoint persons (not being members of the Board) to be members of a disciplinary committee panel in accordance with the following numbers and categories—
(a) not less than 12 registered social workers (category 1) who each hold a recognized degree in social work;
(b) not less than 12 registered social workers (category 1) who each hold a recognized diploma in social work; and
(c) not less than 10 persons who are not registered social workers.
(2) A member of the panel may resign at any time by notice in writing delivered to the Board and the Board may at any time and for any reason revoke the appointment of a member of the panel.
(3) An appointment under subsection (1) shall be notified in the Gazette.

### Social Workers Registration Ordinance 《社會工作者註冊條例》

28. Legal adviser
The Board may appoint a legal practitioner to advise the disciplinary committee and the Board on any points of law and procedure that arise before, during or after an inquiry into an alleged disciplinary offence.

29. Power in regard to obtaining of evidence and conduct at inquiry
(1) A disciplinary committee shall have power—
(a) to hear, receive and examine evidence on oath;
(b) to summon any person to attend the inquiry either as the person whose conduct is the subject of the inquiry or to give evidence or produce any document or other thing in his possession and to examine him as a witness or require him to produce any document or other thing in his possession, subject to all just exceptions;
(c) to admit or exclude the public or any member of the public from the inquiry;
(d) to admit or exclude the press from the inquiry;
(e) to award any person summoned to attend the inquiry as a witness such sum, to be paid from the funds of the Board, as in the opinion of the disciplinary committee has been reasonably expended by him in connection with his attendance.
(2) The Registrar shall sign summonses to witnesses.
(3) No person shall be required to answer any question or produce any document or other thing which, in the opinion of the disciplinary committee, may tend to incriminate him.
(4) A witness shall, in respect of any evidence given by him before the disciplinary committee, be entitled to the same privileges to which he would be entitled if he were giving evidence in court.

30. Disciplinary orders
(1) Where the Board has decided that a registered social worker has committed a disciplinary offence, it shall—
(a) order the Registrar to remove the name of the social worker from the Register permanently;
(b) order the Registrar to remove the name of the social worker from the Register for such period (not being more than 5 years) as the Board thinks fit;
(c) reprimand the social worker in writing and order the Registrar to record the reprimand on the Register; or
(d) order that the Chairperson of the Board admonish the social worker orally.
(2) Where the disciplinary offence referred to in subsection (1) is a disciplinary offence under section 25(1)(f), the Board shall exercise its power under subsection (1)(a).

### Social Workers Registration Ordinance 《社會工作者註冊條例》

31. Service and implementation of disciplinary orders
(1) The Registrar shall serve a copy of any decision under section 27(8) and a copy of any order made under section 30(1)(a), (b) or (c), together with a copy of the reasons of the Board, or serve notice that the Board has not found that the alleged disciplinary offence was committed, upon the registered social worker concerned, either personally or by registered post to his registered address as soon as practicable after the Board has reached its decision on whether or not the social worker committed the alleged disciplinary offence.
(2) Subject to subsection (3), no disciplinary order shall be carried out before the expiry of the period for serving a notice of appeal under section 33 or, in the case of an appeal made to the Court of Appeal against the disciplinary order under that section, before the appeal is finally determined (and, if the disciplinary order is varied on appeal, the order as varied shall be carried out). (Amended 10 of 2005 s. 112)
(3) A disciplinary order may be carried out before the expiry of the period for serving a notice of appeal under section 33 if—
(a) the Board is satisfied that it is necessary to do so for the protection of the public or in the best interests of the registered social worker concerned; and
(b) the order served on the social worker is accompanied with a copy of the reasons of the Board for being so satisfied.

### Social Workers Registration Ordinance 《社會工作者註冊條例》

32. Publication of disciplinary orders
(1) After the expiry of the time within which an appeal may be made to the Court of Appeal under section 33 against a disciplinary order or, if such an appeal has been made, after the appeal is finally determined, the Board— (Amended 10 of 2005 s. 113)
(a) shall, where a disciplinary order is made under section 30(1)(a), (b) or (c) and may, where any other disciplinary order is made, publish a copy of the order or, if the order is varied on appeal, the order as so varied in at least one English and one Chinese language newspaper circulating generally in Hong Kong; and
(b) may publish the order or, if the order is varied on appeal, the order as so varied in any other publication or manner as the Board thinks fit. (Amended 10 of 2005 s. 113)
(2) Where a disciplinary order is published under subsection (1), the Board—
(a) shall publish with such order sufficient particulars to acquaint the public with the nature of the matter to which the order relates; and
(b) may publish with such order an account of the proceedings of the disciplinary committee.
(3) No action in damages for defamation shall lie against any person as a result of publishing a disciplinary order and other particulars required or permitted under this section.