Bill creates new national commission for allied and healthcare professionals

It aims to maintain central and state registers of these professionals and improve access to healthcare services through standardized training and recognition.

Who it concerns: Allied and healthcare professionals (including technicians, technologists, scientists, and therapists), educational and research institutions offering degrees or diplomas in these fields, and the Central and State Governments responsible for constituting the regulatory bodies.

What the bill does

• Constitution of a National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Profession with specific membership criteria including ex-officio government representatives and professional nominees.
• Creation of State Allied and Healthcare Councils and Autonomous Boards to manage state-level regulation.
• Establishment of a Central Allied and Healthcare Professionals' Register and State Registers for professional enrollment.
• Definition of 'allied health professional' requiring a minimum of 2,000 hours of training over 2-4 years, and 'healthcare professional' requiring 3,600 hours over 3-6 years.
• Provisions for the recognition of institutions and qualifications, including the power to withdraw recognition if minimum standards are not met.
• Creation of a National Allied and Healthcare Fund and State Allied and Healthcare Council Funds.
• Penalties for falsely claiming registration, misuse of professional titles, and failure to surrender registration certificates.

Also in the document

• The Bill creates a new statutory body (the Commission) with perpetual succession and the power to sue or be sued.
• It includes specific provisions for 'task shifting,' defined as moving specific tasks to specialized allied professionals to improve healthcare efficiency.
• The Bill outlines a system for the recognition of persons offering services prior to the commencement of the Act.