As part of its efforts to bring in uniform standards in the healthcare sector by regulating the clinical establishments at the national level, the Centre has constituted the much-awaited National Council for Clinical Establishments under the Directorate of Health Services.

Though the formation of the Council was originally included a few years ago in the proposed clinical establishment regulation act, it did not materialize so far. The latest move comes in the wake of a number of states passing similar laws to regulate the healthcare segment and constituting state councils for clinical establishments.

Director General of Health Services will be the chairman of the apex council, being constituted to determine minimum standards for clinical establishments and to maintain and update a national register of clinical establishments in the country, according to official sources.

It is also learnt that an expert committee headed by the DGHS has already finalized a set of norms on the public health standards and they will be made effective with the formation of the national council.

The significance of ensuring uniformity in standards across the country has been the talk for some time now, especially against the background of India emerging as a favourite destination for medical tourism.

The council will determine the standards for clinical establishments, classify the clinical establishment into different categories, develop the minimum standards and will hold periodic reviews of the same. It will also compile, maintain and update a national register of clinical establishments, besides perform any other function determined by the central government from time to time.

The council will have one representative each from Dental Council of India, Medical Council of India, Nursing Council of India, Pharmacy Council of India, Central Council of Homoeopathy, Central Council of the Indian Medical Association, Bureau of the Indian Standards, three representatives from the Central Council of Indian Medicine representing the Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani systems of medicine, two representatives each from the Zonal Councils and North Eastern Council and one representative from the line of paramedical system.

The Centre had proposed and made a draft of the Clinical Establishments (Regulation and Accreditation) Bill 2005, which sought to set up a national council for clinical establishments as the apex body of a three-tier system consisting of state councils and district level bodies. Though the Bill was not tabled in Parliament, many states have gone ahead and passed such legislations, Karnataka being the latest.