The Supreme Council of Health Call For Renewing licence on Time

A senior SCH official has said that, the Supreme Council of Health (SCH) is planning to impose a fine on private healthcare facilities and practitioners failing to renew their licences in time.

SCH recently issued a warning to all private healthcare practitioners and facilities operating with an expired licence to renew their licences by May 2 or face prosecution.

“We have come across several cases of healthcare practitioners who work with expired licences. Lack of strict penalties has resulted in an increase in such cases. A fine for delayed renewal would be made part of the law,” Dr Jamal Rashid Al Khanji, acting director of the Medical Licensing Department told The Peninsula.

“All complete renewal applications received by May 2, along with payment of all unpaid fees since the expiry date, will be processed by the Department without penalty for the period in which the practitioner was unlicensed,” said the Department, in a circular issued recently.

The Department, however, has reserved the right to take formal action according to the law against any facility or practitioner found to have caused harm to the public while operating or practising without a license.

The Permanent Licensing Committee recently issued a new policy regarding late renewal of licences. Accordingly, one month grace period has been given for applying for a renewal.

Licences of those who fail to apply for renewal within this period will be suspended until a new licence is issued. If they fail to apply for renewal in three months after the expiry of the licence, their licence will be cancelled.

Continuing to practise after the suspension or cancellation of a licence for non-renewal is a serious offence and will be prosecuted.

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