The Maharashtra government on Friday introduced the Maharashtra Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Bill in the Legislative Assembly, aiming to bring all healthcare facilities under a single regulatory framework to improve transparency, accountability and the quality of healthcare services across the state.
Presented by Health Minister Prakash Abitkar, the Bill seeks to replace the Bombay Nursing Homes Registration Act, 1949, which currently regulates only nursing and maternity homes. The proposed legislation makes registration mandatory for all clinical establishments, including hospitals, clinics, diagnostic centres and other healthcare institutions.
According to the Statement of Objects and Reasons, the existing law has failed to keep pace with the rapid expansion and diversification of the healthcare sector. The government said the new legislation is intended to ensure uniform regulation of healthcare facilities across all recognised systems of medicine while enforcing minimum standards of infrastructure, services and patient care.
The Bill proposes the establishment of a State Council for Clinical Establishments, which will be responsible for prescribing minimum standards for different categories of healthcare facilities and specifying the range of services they must provide. A key feature of the legislation is the introduction of a Charter of Patients’ Rights, which guarantees patients access to information about their medical condition, diagnosis, proposed treatment, expected outcomes and the estimated cost of care.
The proposed law also empowers authorities to inspect registered clinical establishments, maintain a comprehensive state register of healthcare facilities and initiate action against institutions violating the prescribed norms. It provides for penalties for non-compliance, creates a dedicated fund for the State Council and authorises the state government to issue directions for the effective implementation of the Act.
The government said that while the Bill is broadly based on the provisions of the Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2010, it has been tailored to create a comprehensive state-specific legal framework for regulating healthcare institutions in Maharashtra.
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