DUBAI ,Jan3:- The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) is tightening the noose around unlicensed healthcare professionals with consolidated inspection policies that will see various government entities clamping down on medical staff or establishments working without a licence.
Law enforcement entities like police, immigration, labour and economic departments will now be notified about health professionals and facilities whose licences have been revoked by the Dubai Health Authority.
They will also accompany DHA officials during inspections at healthcare establishments and take action if any unlicensed medical staff or healthcare establishment is found to have violated the rules and regulations stipulated by their respective departments.
Last month, Khaleej Times reported that unlicensed health professionals and establishments employing such staff will be prosecuted under tighter regulations being implemented by the DHA. The report said the health authority would conduct regular inspections to detect violations from January 1.
“We will be conducting more combined inspections on healthcare establishments. Unlike earlier, we will be alerting all relevant government departments about the violations and they can take their own action when it is required,” Director of Health Regulation at the DHA Dr Ramadan Ibrahim said on Monday.
The official said the Authority has also decided to expand its notification system that alerts all the health authorities in the country and abroad about any doctor or healthcare facility whose licence has been revoked.
“We have a system that alerts the health authorities in the UAE, GCC countries and other countries like the UK, Australia and Canada when the licence of a doctor or a healthcare facility has been revoked. Now we will also inform all these local authorities about such cases so that they can be alerted and can look into taking further action if required,” said Dr Ibrahim.
His comments followed the DHA Health Regulation Department’s first meeting with various stakeholders to discuss consolidated inspection policies that are aimed at further strengthening the quality of health and healthcare in the emirate.
The meeting was held with representatives from the Department of Economic Department (DED), Dubai Police, Dubai Naturalisation and Residency Department (DNRD) and Ministry of Labour, the authority said in a statement.
“The aim of the meeting was to jointly discuss ways to ensure convenience for investors keen to invest in healthcare facilities in Dubai and at the same time ensure more surveillance with regard to inspections of healthcare facilities and professionals. We shall work together in future to ensure more consolidated inspections,” said Dr Ibrahim.
He said investors would benefit from the enhanced cooperation among the government departments as they could jointly solve the former’s concerns, if any.