Medical and health services lawmaker David Lam on Friday suggested that there should be specific public service requirements for different professions in the sector.

Lam was referring to the government's proposal to make all medical staff work in the public sector for a certain period of time, to address the manpower shortage.

He said he has polled nearly 600 medical sector staff on the plan, with more than 40 percent of doctors backing the idea and just above 50 percent of nurses supporting it.

He added that a compulsory period of one to three years would be most acceptable to the respondents.

"What they think is different from what they actually do, the median number of years for those who left the public service, doctors and nurses, is 15," said Lam.

He also pointed out that the survey showed medical professionals do see reasons to work in the public sector.

"They have the ability to take care of serious illnesses, to take of the general public, opportunity to get training and to train a new generation of people," he explained.

He called on the authorities to improve the working environment for medical staff at the same time to keep them in the public sector.