The members of the West Bengal Clinical Establishment Regulatory Commission (WBCERC) held their first meeting at the Swasthya Bhawan on Wednesday and held discussions on how to address various issues related to public grievances at various private hospitals and nursing homes across the state and their speedy disposal.
The meeting was conducted by the Vice-Chairman of the WBCERC Anil Verma, Principal Secretary of the Consumer Affairs department in presence of other members in which the commission has chalked out a road map on how to proceed further and the methods people need to follow in order to lodge a complaint with the Commission.
After the meeting, Verma said that the Commission will address the treatment related issues in the private hospitals. If there are any complaints with the doctors the Medical Council of India (MCI) will look into the matter. He also said that the Commission will soon open its branches in the districts as well and will publish advertisements to make people aware of the functioning of the Commission. The Commission's website will soon be launched. Senior Justice Asim Kumar Roy, the Chairman, was not present in the meeting.
It is important to mention that this is for the first time a regulatory commission has been formed by the state government to provide a platform to the people who often face all sorts of problems at private hospitals and nursing homes during the treatment of their patients. It was learnt that after going through the grievances, the Commission will decide on how to resolve the issue.
The West Bengal Medical Council (WBMC) may also take necessary steps against the doctors if found guilty. One of the main purposes of the Commission is to ensure that healthcare service is not a commercial proposition and service should be delivered to the people with a human touch. It will also ensure that the private hospitals do not overcharge a patient's family member in any way.
It has also been entrusted with the responsibility to ensure that people get services at private establishments at a reasonable cost.
The Commission will divide the private hospitals in various categories as per the standard of their treatment and fix an upward limit of expenses for the patients. It will also take action against the hospitals if they charge more money from the patients.
The Commission will soon hold meetings with senior officials of private hospitals.
The Commission will function from its office at the Standard Insurance Building in BBD Bag. The family members of the patient can lodge their complaints with the Commission by visiting its office. The committee will also hold meetings at its office from time to time to examine the complaints.
It may be mentioned that WBCERC has been constituted in pursuance to the West Bengal Clinical Establishments (Registration, Regulation and Transparency) Act, 2017, by the notification of the state health department on March 17.
During a meeting with the senior officials of various private hospitals at Town Hall on February 22, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced constitution of the health regulatory Commission and proposed to pass a Bill in this regard in the state Assembly.