The West Bengal Department of Health and Family Welfare has issued a mandate requiring all private clinical establishments to obtain a no-objection certificate (NOC) before engaging doctors currently in government service. The notification, dated November 2, outlines the conditions under which clinical establishments can involve government doctors in a practising role without drawing non-practising allowance.
According to the notification, no clinical establishment is allowed to engage or empanel any person already employed by the West Bengal government without obtaining an express no-objection certificate. This requirement extends to individuals working on a voluntary or stipendiary basis, as well as those bound by an agreement with the state government, including house staff, internees, or students.
Clinical establishments are mandated to submit the NOC along with an application, providing detailed information about the government-employed doctor, including their hours of availability on the premises. Non-compliance with this directive will be treated as a violation of the West Bengal Clinical Establishments Act, 2017, with appropriate action to be taken immediately.
Some members of the medical community are expressing dissatisfaction with the notification, considering it a potentially “humiliating” experience for doctors. Critics argue that the government’s move is a response to financial pressures faced by small nursing homes seeking dues under the Swasthya Sathi scheme. They suggest that the government is attempting to shift the focus from resolving financial issues with nursing homes by imposing restrictions on doctors. The notification has stirred discontent among doctors who view it as a means to address fiscal challenges within the healthcare system.
