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Healthcare centres in Dubai must display trade licence prominently

DUBAI – All private health facilities in the emirate will be required to display certified copies of their trade licences in a prominent place as the Dubai Health Authority pushes for transparency with patients.

The health authority will issue ‘health facility licence certificates’ to the health establishments that will be required to be displayed in places that can be seen by patients.

This is in addition to the trade licences issued to all facilities by the Dubai Economic Department. Currently, there are 1,800 such facilities operating in the emirate. The certificates will list the type of licence that the facility can operate under, the expiry date of the licence and the kind of services the facility is allowed to undertake, said a senior health official on Sunday. The facilities have been given until next month to apply for this certificate and adjust their status.

“The health regulation department is developing its policy and communication system with the private health sector in Dubai so as to adopt a principle of transparency with patients aiming at presenting better services to them,” said Dr Ramadan Ibrahim Mohammed, director of the health regulation department at the authority.

“We are starting off with hospitals and then will move on to polyclinics,” he said. “We want this process to end by the summer’s end,” he added.

The steps are part of the authority’s plans to revamp the licensing system for all health professionals and facilities in the emirate.

Khaleej Times had reported earlier that the new system will be the sole authority to issue licences to physicians and healthcare facilities as compared to the 10 bodies’ that were earlier regulating healthcare in the emirate.

The new process is being designed to ensure a coordinated approach 
to the licensing system in Dubai to help drive high standards of quality care 
as the population continues to grow, said officials.

The aim is also to develop a fully 
integrated and functioning system that would be monitored by the government.

Among the recent changes in licensing, physicians in Dubai will be required to give practical demonstration of their skills before being able to qualify for a licence.

asmaalizain@khaleejtimes.com