The Ministry of Health has referred three medical consultants who were engaged in private practice to a disciplinary committee for punitive action on instructions from Health Minister Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah.
The ministry found that these three consultants had been undertaking part-time medical work in addition to their regular job during the day.
A circular from the public sector specifies that no medic or paramedic engaged in government services shall be allowed to work for the private sector as long as they work for the government.
Administrations of the hospitals in which these three doctors worked privately have also been asked to report to the disciplinary committee, which will investigate why they hired government employees.
The three Riyadh-based doctors are Saudi citizens and will be allowed to continue in their present job until investigation is completed.
The minister said that stern action is being taken to ensure a healthy medical practice in the government, as well as in the private sector.
The Ministry of Health has closed down 100 clinics for 292 alleged health violations during the month of January.
Ali Az-Zawawi, undersecretary at the Health Ministry, said that 52 cases of violations were detected by health personnel tasked with dealing with patients during that same period.
He said that his department oversees 130 hospitals, 2,000 polyclinics and 7,000 pharmacies throughout the Kingdom. “There are some 98,000 health personnel working at these private sector facilities,” he said.
The department of private sector facilities at the Health Ministry ordered the closure of these facilities based on reports submitted by a field inspection team from the Directorate General of Health Affairs in the respective regions.
He said the team conducts regular inspection of private facilities in the region to check the quality of services offered in ambulance services, operation theaters and the professional suitability of medics and paramedics employed by these health institutions to ensure quality health care to patients.
Punitive action was taken due to working without licenses or functioning with expired licenses, a lack of trained medical staff and absence of proper facilities and equipment. The closure of some of these medical facilities is temporary and they can be reopened once the irregularities are rectified, he added.
He further warned that negligence and recklessness on the part of health providers would not be tolerated by the government and that stern action would be taken against such violators based on the seriousness of the violations.
“We treat the private sector as strategic partners in providing health services to the people and we want them to offer quality services with a ‘patients first’ vision in their ventures,” the official said.
In 2012, Health Minister Abdullah Al-Rabeeah launched a “Patients First” program, which highlighted the care expected from health providers for patients in the Kingdom.
Last year, the Health Ministry closed 30 medical complexes, 15 polyclinics, 29 pharmacies, 27 optical houses and five physiotherapy centers for violations. During this period, the ministry also collected SR3.75 million in fines from such violators, which included SR1.98 million from pharmacies.
The ministry recently opened a helpline for members of the public to register complaints about medical errors and health violations in the Kingdom.
“Members of the public can make their complaints online or they can directly fax the details,” he said.
Three govt doctors face disciplinary action
