Haryana govt sets up medical boards to decide complaints of negligence

Chandigarh: The Haryana government has set up district-level medical boards to decide complaints of medical negligence against private or government doctors or hospitals.

The District Medical Boards for Negligence would consist of a district civil surgeon as chairperson and have a principal medical officer or medical superintendent of a district hospital as a member secretary, an official spokesman said here today.

"Its three members would include two specialists in the domain related to the complaint, either both from government sector or one from government and one from the private sector.

"In case, a subject specialist is not available, the chairperson can call one from other district and one member of the district Indian Medical Association who would be selected by the district IMA president," he said.

He said the board would look into all complaints against private or government doctors or hospitals of medical negligence and would be empowered to call and seek the assistance of anybody or any record associated with the complaint.

"It would also have the power to inspect the premises, if required. The investigating officers would obtain independent and competent medical opinion from the board before proceeding against the doctors accused of rash or negligent act. The board would give an impartial and unbiased opinion by putting the facts to test and devise a transparent procedure to receive complaints," he said.