Parliament nod for Allied & Healthcare Professions Bill

Parliament nod for Allied & Healthcare Professions Bill

Can Bring Paradigm Shift In Health Professionals’ Situation: Min

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi:25.03.2021 

The Lok Sabha on Wednesday cleared the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions Bill, 2021, even as Union health minister Harsh Vardhan said the proposed legislation has the potential to bring a paradigm shift in health professionals' situation.

“Paramedics and allied healthcare workers are a critical part of the medical profession and their contribution is similar to doctors, if not more. The group of allied professionals is large and the bill is trying to regulate this field, by providing dignity to their roles,” Vardhan said.

The bill, passed by the Rajya Sabha, was moved for passage in Lok Sabha on Wednesday. Recalling the role played by paramedics and allied health care workers, lab technicians, radiographers, and dieticians during the Coronavirus pandemic, Vardhan said they were as much part of the people's recovery as doctors are. He said the bill aims to establish a statutory body or commission that frames policies and standards, regulate professional conduct and qualifications for allied healthcare professionals besides providing uniformity of service standards across institutions. He also said all standards have been coded by international yardsticks and there will be representations from all States and Union Territories on this commission with each state having statelevel commissions.

“A common regulator has been prepared for all allied professions. This will enable a team-based approach to patient care,” he said.

The bill provides for regulation and maintenance of standards of education and services by allied and healthcare professionals, assessment of institutions, maintenance of a central and a state register and creation of a system to improve research and development and adoption of latest scientific advancement.

Bill amending juvenile justice law passed

New Delhi:

Lok Sabha on Wednesday approved crucial changes to the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 to better protect children against crimes and speed up the process of adopting them.

Union women and child minister Smriti Irani congratulated Lok Sabha for arriving at a political consensus, a rarity in recent years, to pass an amendment that will have far-reaching impact on protecting children. She also said the proposed law seeks to make the district magistrate a “synergising officer” for issues related to protection of children. TNN

Paramedics and allied healthcare workers are a critical part of the medical profession and their contribution is similar to doctors. The group of allied professionals is large and the bill is trying to regulate this field, by providing dignity to their roles