The National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions Bill, 2020 | 25 Mar 2021

Why in News

Recently, the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions Bill, 2020 was passed unanimously by the Lok Sabha.

• The Bill seeks to regulate and standardise the education and practice of allied and healthcare professionals.
• The group of allied professionals is large and the Bill is trying to regulate this field by providing dignity to their roles.

Key Points

• Allied Health Professional:
  
  • The Bill defines an ‘allied health professional’ as an associate, technician, or technologist trained to support the diagnosis and treatment of any illness, disease, injury, or impairment.
  • Such a professional should have obtained a diploma or degree.
    
    • The duration of the degree/diploma should be at least 2,000 hours (over a period of two to four years).
• Healthcare Professional:
  
  • A ‘healthcare professional’ includes a scientist, therapist, or any other professional who studies, advises, researches, supervises, or provides preventive, curative, rehabilitative, therapeutic, or promotional health services.
  • Such a professional should have obtained a degree.
    
    • The duration of the degree should be at least 3,600 hours (over a period of three to six years).
• Allied and Healthcare Professions:
  
  • The Bill specifies certain categories of allied and healthcare professions as recognised categories.
  • These are mentioned in the Schedule to the Bill and include life science professionals, trauma and burn care professionals, surgical and anaesthesia related technology professionals, physiotherapists, and nutrition science professionals.
    
    • The central government may amend this Schedule after consultation with the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Profession.
• National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions: The Bill sets up the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions.
  
  • Structure:
    
    • It will consist of a Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, five members representing various Departments/Ministries of the central government, one representative from the Directorate General of Health Services, three Deputy Directors or Medical Superintendents appointed on a rotational basis from amongst medical institutions and 12 part-time members representing State Councils, among others.
  • Functions: The Commission will perform the following functions with regard to Allied and Healthcare Professionals:
    
    • Creating and maintaining an online Central Register of all registered professionals.
    • Providing basic standards of education, courses, curriculum, staff qualifications, examination, training, maximum fee payable for various categories.
  • Professional Councils:
    
    • The Commission will constitute a Professional Council for every recognised category of allied and healthcare professions.
    • The Professional Council will consist of a president and four to 24 members, representing each profession in the recognised category.
    • The Commission may delegate any of its functions to this Council.
• State Councils:
  
  • Within six months from the passage of the Bill, state governments will constitute State Allied and Healthcare Councils.
  • It will complement the functioning of the National Commission and maintain a State Register.
• Permission for Establishment of Institutions:
  
  • Prior permission of the State Council will be required to:
    
    • Establish a new institution.
    • Open new courses, increase the admission capacity, or admit a new batch of students to existing institutions.
  • If such permission is not sought, then any qualification granted to a student from such an institution will not be recognised under the Bill.
• Offences and Penalties:
  
  • No person is allowed to practice as a qualified allied and healthcare practitioner other than those enrolled in a State Register or the National Register.
  • Any person who contravenes this provision will be punished with a fine of Rs. 50,000.

Source:TH