Loophole in health laws: Private hospitals without licences

NST: KUALA LUMPUR: A loophole in the health laws has allowed one in 11 private hospitals to run without a licence or under expired licences.
These private facilities face fines of up to RM1,000 for this and other offences, said health officials.
Such light penalties made it difficult for the healthcare industry to be strictly regulated for years, they said.
However, new health laws would be strictly enforced in November, raising fines for those without valid licences to between RM300,000 and RM500,000, they added.
At least 10 private hospitals around the country did not have a valid licence, said Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek.
Until June, there were 105 licensed private hospitals on Health Ministry records.
"Private hospitals have mushroomed in the last 20 years and nothing can be done to them under the Medical Act 1971," he said.
The ministry would come down hard on unlicensed facilities from Nov 1, he added.
It had set Oct 30 as the deadline for all private hospitals to ensure they are licensed under the recently amended Private Healthcare Facilities and Services Act.
Once the amended Act is enforced, operators of private hospitals, including those sitting on the board of directors, could face jail terms for a number of offences.
Healthcare groups had found it difficult to renew licences in the past, said Dr Chong Su-Lin, the Association of Private Hospitals honorary secretary.
One reason was difficulty in getting supporting documents from the Fire and Rescue Services Department.
"Without (a letter from the department), the hospital management cannot submit their application to the Health Department," she said.
At present, the only authority with the power to shut an unlicensed hospital is the Department of Occupational Safety and Health.
The association has been reminding members to renew their licences.
"It is not mandatory for private hospitals to register with us, so it is difficult to say how many are operating without a licence," she told the New Straits Times.
She said the association had no power to act against errant hospitals except to keep reminding them to abide by the law.