In a bid to effectively implement the Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act 2010, the Union health ministry has announced draft minimum standards for various categories of clinical establishments, both in the allopathic and Indian streams of medicine.

Once approved, the registered establishments in the States where the Act is at present applicable should follow the minimum standards laid down separately for different kinds of clinics. The National Council for Clinical Establishments, the apex body under the chairmanship of Director General of Health Services, has held a series of consultations with the stakeholders including the Quality Council of India and Indian Medical Council to prepare the draft standards.

At present, States like Himachal Pradesh and Jharkhand, apart from the Union Territories of Andaman, Diu and Daman and Chandigarh have implemented the Act and over 4600 establishments had been registered.  States like Uttar Pradesh, Mizoram, Sikkim, Rajasthan and Arunachal Pradesh have also adopted the Act, but yet to implement them in the absence of rules, while the Centre is still trying to impress upon other States to adopt the same.

“The comments, suggestions, objections, including deletions/additions if required in the draft documents are invited from public at large, including the stakeholders like hospitals and other clinical establishments, consumer groups etc,” according to a notification by the Council.

The Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS) for sub-centre, PHC, CHC, sub-district/sub-divisional hospital and district hospitals have already approved documents. The draft is hence only for those in the private sector.

Separate standards have been prepared for allied health executive, behavioural health integrated counseling centres, dental centres, dental hospitals, dietetics, hospitals in primary, secondary and tertiary levels, labs, collection centres, mobile clinics, dialysis centres, physiotherapy centres, polyclinics with diagnostic support, polyclinic with dispensary,  polyclinic with observation, radiology and imaging centres and stem cell laboratories, in the allopathy sector.

Likewise, the detailed standard parameters have also been prepared in consultation with the Ayush department for establishments of Ayurveda, Naturopathy, Siddha, Sowa-rigpa, Unani and Yoga.