The proposed Central Legislation on regulating private healthcare sector is likely to prescribe standard operating procedures (SOPs) for nursing homes and hospitals in the country, it is learnt. The legislation, the draft of which is being prepared, would lay down norms for assessment, accreditation, inspection, certification and regulation of all clinical establishments. It will also make maintenance of records in such establishments mandatory.

The central government has identified the absence of SOPs as one of the major problems in optimizing the services of private healthcare sector. The absence of regulations also made it difficult to achieve this goal.

Speaking to Pharmabiz.com, Dr SP Agarwal, director general of Health Services (DGHS) informed that the nursing home regulation Bill would address most of the problems related to private healthcare segment. He felt that the centre should also think of a high profile Medical Accreditation Commission to upgrade the status of healthcare establishments in the country. While the SOPs will lay down the minimum standards required for clinical establishments, the desirable standards can be prescribed by the commission, he felt. The proposed legislation will not talk about the commission, he added.

Dr Agarwal felt that optimal utilization of the existing public sector health care facilities, and strong regulation of the private healthcare sector can bring in tremendous changes in the functioning of the country's healthcare delivery mechanism.

"The ongoing capacity building programme in the drugs sector would bring about significant positive changes in drug regulatory sector of the country. The focus on generic drugs by healthcare establishments would further the cause of affordable healthcare delivery to the masses," he pointed out.

It is known that the proposed legislation would contain a provision to ask the state governments to establish a state-level council to regulate the activities of clinical establishments. Several states like NCT of Delhi, Sikkim, Assam, Madhya Pradesh etc already have legislations in place to regulate the private sector healthcare establishments.