The Hindu : National : Nod for Clinical Establishments Bill

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Friday, Jun 29, 2007
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Nod for Clinical Establishments Bill

Aarti Dhar

It will prescribe minimum standards

NEW DELHI: The Union Cabinet on Thursday approved the Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Bill, 2007 that seeks to provide a legislative framework for the registration and regulation of clinical establishments. The Bill would be introduced in the monsoon session of Parliament.

The proposed legislation will help improve the quality of health services by prescribing minimum standards for facilities and services with a view to standardising healthcare services. It will also initiate the process for creation of a national registry of clinical establishments.

Briefing reporters after the Cabinet meet, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Priyaranjan Dasmunsi said that with the enactment of this legislation, all the clinical establishments, including diagnostic centres, will be registered and regulated by the National Council of Standards that would prescribe minimum standards for healthcare services and maintain a national register of clinical establishments.

The Council, to be headed by the Director-General of Health Services, would have representatives from the medical, dental, nursing and pharmacy councils and the Indian Medical Association, and the Bureau of the Indian Standards. It would classify the clinical establishments into different categories and also conduct periodic review of the standards for healthcare services, Mr. Dasmunsi said.

4 N-E States agree

According to Mr. Dasmunsi, since health is a State subject, the States will have to come up with their own legislation concurring with the Bill either in full or in part. Four northeastern States — Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Nagaland and Manipur — have already concurred with the proposed legislation.

It will cover all organisations from different streams of medicines including homoeopathy, unani, ayurveda and siddha. Mr. Dasmunsi said the Government proposed to impose monetary penalties for violation of the standards set by the National Council.

Legislation is proposed as the quality of health services provided by both the public and private sectors remains largely a contentious issue and the current structure does not provide for improvement in efficiency.

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