Centre clears bill to regulate allied health services

NEW DELHI: On the lines of councils to regulate medical and dental education and services, the Union Cabinet on Thursday paved way for setting up of a regulatory body also for allied health care services such as physiotherapy, nutrition and psychology.

The Cabinet approved establishment of The Allied and Healthcare Professions Bill, 2018 for regulation and standardisation of education and services by allied and health care professionals that account for nearly one-third, of the health care workforce.

“I am thankful to PM Narendra Modi for approving a landmark legislation which will provide the opportunity of employment to millions of youth in the country and will help standardise allied health care. It will give an opportunity to create qualified, highly skilled and competent jobs in health care by enabling the professionalism of the allied and health care workforce,” tweeted JP Nadda, Union health minister

The Bill will include 53 professions in allied and health care streams and will facilitate quality-driven services in the sector.

The Union health ministry in January last year had revised the Bill that has a provision for setting up of central and state councils as regulators and also for formulating standards for their education, practice, registration and pay scale.

The draft Bill was earlier titled the Allied & Healthcare Professionals Central Council Bill 2015 and was put out for public consultation in October 2015.

Allied service-providers say it is a step in the right direction. “There was a huge need to fill this gap; considering there was no regulatory mechanism in place and almost everyone was self-styled in this field, it will definitely impact the quality of service providers in a positive way,” says Ishi Khosla, Delhibased senior nutritionist.

The Cabinet also approved setting up of a medical college at Silvasa in the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli.