NCAHP notifies new rules, CAC to supervise allied healthcare regulations in states without councils

The National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professionals (NCAHP) has released a new set of regulations. These regulations provide for independent boards under the state council to administer education, institutional assessment, professional ethics and registration standards in an integrated manner.

These new regulations have been released under the National Commission Allied and Healthcare Professions Act, 2021. The new boards will have a president with significant professional experience and 10 to 20 members. Particular boards at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels will put in place competency-based frameworks, faculty development and research standards. The assessment board will be responsible for institutional inspections and public ratings.

An ethics and registration board will check professional documents and state registers will be kept. Where there is no functioning council at the state level, these regulatory functions will be temporarily undertaken under the supervision of the Central Assessment Committee (CAC) of 10 to 30 members.

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Board organisation and inspection

The Assessment and Rating Board will evaluate institutional applications, issue letters of permission and will conduct vigorous inspections through three-member inspection teams. The teams have to verify the compliance to minimum standards, keep the supporting records and submit detailed reports of verification.

The rating framework also allows for ongoing tracking through the evaluation of academic excellence, student feedback, research output, and the available campus facilities. Moreover, strict safeguards are in place to prevent any inspections in the event of potential conflicts of interest on the part of members.

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Transparency and accountability

Members of these autonomous boards are required to keep professional integrity and declare all assets, liabilities and potential conflicts of interest. Based on requirements, State councils and autonomous boards are required to avail themselves of to the Commission.

In the meantime, CAC will perform the uniform standards for those states that do not have fully functional autonomous bodies under the overall supervision of NCAHP and assisted by the NCAHP Secretariat. CAC members can be removed upon any conflict of interest, breach of code, abuse of position and other specified circumstances with an opportunity of hearing.