DHA health regulation to host explanatory seminars on new licensing process

The seminars will be held on 07th January at the Rashid Hospital Library Auditorium. Department of Health and Medical Services (DoHMS) staff are invited to attend from 1200 hrs. Private sector physicians are invited to attend from 1400 hrs.

The DHA health regulation team is keen to encourage physicians to attend one of these two seminars where they will be able to find out more information, including:

• An introduction to DHA health regulation including the definition of grandfathering and physician
• Explanation of the registration event to be held in the Al-Murooj Rotana Hotel from 10.00 AM to 6.00 PM from 16th to the 30th of January 2009
• A brief demonstration of the online application for new medical licenses
• Attendees will also have the opportunity to ask the DHA health regulation team any key questions arising at this point in the process.

Dr Essa Kazim, Director and head of the DHA's health regulation programme, said:

"The DHA will be responsible for all health regulation and licensing in Dubai for professionals, services and facilities across both the public and private sectors. However, as we seek to drive the quality of healthcare, we want to assure everyone that this will introduced as part of a phased and managed process."

He adds, "These seminars will provide clarity and guidance for this first stage of the phased programme - the issuing of new licenses to all practising physicians working in the Emirate of Dubai."

He concludes, "I also want to add that we understand that this can be a sensitive issue which needs to be managed in a private and confidential manner. We want to provide assurance to physicians that their application will be dealt with in complete confidence. In order for us to do this, everyone will be issued with their own unique login and password details which they will need to pick up personally from the registration office providing suitable proof of identification. We are confident that these measures will provide the overall privacy and security that physicians will want and can expect to be enforced by the Government's new strategic health authority."

DHA health regulation is asking every physician practicing in Dubai to pick up their unique registration details from a centrally located temporary office which will be established in the Al Murooj Rotana from 16th to 30th January and which will be open from 10.00 AM to 6.00 PM every day. Once each physician has picked up their log-in and password details, they will be able to register with the DHA.

In summary, the license of those physicians who meet the new criteria will be automatically upgraded to a full license which will be renewable after two years. Physicians who do not meet the criteria will be 'Grandfathered'. This means that their right to practice will be recognised but they will only be given a provisional license covering a specified grace period.

They will be asked to enter into a contract with the DHA health regulation specifying that they will seek to achieve the required criteria and/or undertake specified further training that is intended to be available locally. Those physicians who do not meet the criteria during the term of the grace period will have their license suspended or not renewed.