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Workshop at nursing homes, private hospitals on amended rules
Mandatory workshop is planned at nursing homes and private hospitals across Maharashtra to ensure enforcement of the amended rules of the Bombay Nursing Home Act and Clinical Establishment Act
PUNE: To ensure strict enforcement of the amended rules of the Bombay Nursing Home Act and Clinical Establishment Act in nursing homes and private hospitals across Maharashtra, all local bodies in the state have been asked to conduct a mandatory workshop for both the acts with registered private practitioners and members of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) before June 5 and submit the report.
Dr Vijay Kandewad, joint director of health services, on May 30 issued a letter to all local bodies, deputy directors and the IMA, instructing them to conduct a mandatory workshop for both acts. “Conduct a one-day workshop for private practitioners registered under the Nursing Home Act with the IMA before June 5. During the workshop, discuss the provisions and rules in the Nursing Home Act and Clinical Establishment Act. The medical superintendent and medical officers working in government facilities should be called for the meeting. Submit a report regarding the workshop,” the letter stated.
Dr Radhakishan Pawar, deputy director of health services, said that the aim of the workshop is to raise awareness about the rules and provisions of both the acts. “The date of the workshop in Pune city is not yet fixed but in Baramati, we will conduct the workshop on Monday. Private practitioners will discuss their difficulties in implementation and give suggestions during the workshop. The same will be submitted to the state government after the workshop,” Dr Pawar said.
Dr Pawar said that many a time, private hospitals claim to be unaware when civil surgeons or district health officers take action. “This excuse won’t work after the workshop when we start checking if the provisions and rules are being followed by the private practitioners and hospitals,” he said.
Dr Ravindra Kute, president of the IMA Maharashtra, said that the letter issued by Dr Kandewad for the workshop has been received by them and there will be discussion too but they have requested the health department to hold an initial meeting after which the workshop will be conducted. “There are several issues in the amended Nursing Home Act and Clinical Establishment Act that are not feasible for the hospital to implement. That needs to be discussed with the health department. These are genuine problems of the hospital and there has to be a way out of it that needs to be discussed. We have raised the issue even in the past,” Dr Kute said.
Dr Kute said that they have asked their branches across the state to wait for the meeting after which the workshop can be attended. Also, the branches currently have newly-appointed office-bearers in April most of whom are unaware about the issues that were discussed in the past with the government.
The Clinical Establishment (Registration and Regulations) Act has been implemented in various states by the central government. The registration of private nursing homes and hospitals is carried out by the health officer of the municipal corporation, district health officers and civil surgeons under the Bombay Nursing Home Registration Act 1949. The Nursing Home Act was amended on January 14, 2021 after which it was called the Maharashtra Nursing Homes (Amendment) Rules, 2021. However, after being amended, a majority of the provisions and rules in the Nursing Home Act are similar to the Central Clinical Establishment (Registration and Regulations) Act.
