Kerala Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act to come into force from Jan 1, 2019

On January 1, 2019, the Kerala Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2018, will come into force in the State, bringing within its regulatory ambit all clinical establishments, both private and public..The object of the Act is to provide for the registration and regulation of clinical establishments with a view to prescribing minimum standards of facilities and services provided by such establishments..The definition of clinical establishment is very wide and includes within its ambit any hospital, maternity home, nursing home, dispensary, clinic, sanatorium or any institution that offers services requiring treatment, diagnosis or care for illness, injury, deformity, abnormality, dental care or pregnancy..The said establishment could belong to any system of medicine and could be established, maintained and administered by any person or body of persons whether incorporated or not. Any such establishment will be covered by the definition of clinical establishment..As per Section 19 of the Act, all clinical establishments should be registered under the Act and no person will be allowed to run a clinical establishment unless it is registered in accordance with the provisions of the Act and the rules made pursuant to the Act..Clinical establishments which are in existence at the time of coming into force of the Act shall be granted provisional registration. Provisional registration shall be valid for a period of one year and the same can be extended for another year for reasons to be recorded in writing..Permanent registration shall be valid for a period of three years and has to be renewed after that..The Act provides for establishment, composition, and functions of the State Council and Executive Committee..The State Council shall, inter alia, be responsible for determining the standards of proper healthcare by clinical establishments. It shall classify and categorise clinical establishments and determine minimum standards for each category. Further, it shall compile and publish the State Register of Clinical Establishments, and shall also conduct periodic inspection of clinical establishments for ensuring maintenance of standards..The Act also provides for constitution of ‘Authority for Registration’ in each district for registration of clinical establishments. This Authority shall be responsible for grant, renewal, suspension or cancellation of registration of a clinical establishment..Further, the Act prescribes penalties for offences under the Act including for non-registration..Though the Act provides for registration of all clinical establishments, ToI reports that the government has decided to exclude alternate medicine from the purview of the Act for now. The initial focus would only be on registration of establishments of modern medicine. The Indian Medical Association has objected to the same, the report states..Read the Bill below:.Image courtesy: The Hindu