Page 102 - The Indian Optician Digital Edition March-April 2021

ALLIED AND HEALTHCARE
PROFESSIONS ACT, 2021
A REALITY
he National Commission for Allied and
Healthcare Professions Bill, 2020 was
Tintroduced in the Rajya Sabha, the
Upper House of the Indian Parliament, by the
Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Dr Harsh
Vardhan, on 15 September 2020. The Bill sought
to regulate and standardise the education and
practice of allied and healthcare professionals.
Healthcare professionals are delighted
that finally, after years of suggestions and
presentations to the government, the
proposed Allied and Healthcare Professions
Bill has been passed by the Parliament of India.
The Bill has now become an Act, henceforth
the ‘National Commission for Allied and
Healthcare Professions Act, 2021’ (NCAHP act).
The NCAHP bill was passed as such in the Rajya
Sabha on 16 March 2021, and in the Lok Sabha
on 24 March 2021.
The NCAHP Act of Parliament received the
assent of the President of India on 28 March
2021. The Act comes into force on such date as
the Central Government may, by notification,
appoint; and different dates may be appointed
for different provisions of this Act.
The Act provides for regulation and
maintenance of standards of education and
services by allied and healthcare professionals,
assessment of institutions, maintenance of
a Central Register and State Registers, and
the creation of a system to improve access,
research and development and adoption of the
latest scientific advancements, and for matters
connected therewith or incidental thereto.
A ‘healthcare professional’ includes a scientist,
therapist, or any other professional who studies,
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advises, researches, supervises, or provides
preventive, curative, rehabilitative, therapeutic,
or promotional health services. Such a
professional should have obtained a degree
under this ACT. The duration of the degree
should be at least 3,600 hours (over a period of
three to six years).
The ACT defines ‘Allied health professional’ as
an associate, technician, or technologist trained
to support the diagnosis and treatment of any
illness, disease, injury, or impairment. Such a
professional should have obtained a diploma or
degree under this ACT, the duration of which
should be at least 2,000 hours (over a period of
two to four years).
Eye care professionals are categorised under
Ophthalmic Science under the NCAHP act.
Optometrists, ophthalmic assistants and vision
technicians are covered under this category.
SALIENT POINTS OF THE ACT FOR
EYE CARE
The salient points of the National Commission
for Allied and Healthcare Professions Act, 2021,
for those in the fields of eye care are:
1. Eye care will be regulated through an
Ophthalmic Science Council
2. The Ophthalmic Science Council will register
optometrists, ophthalmic assistants and
vision technicians
3. Optometrists are under Healthcare with
International Standard Classification of
Occupation (ISCO) code: 2267; ophthalmic
assistants and vision technicians under
Allied: 3256
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