RAWALPINDI, Sept 22: Punjab government has notified the rules and regulations governing the working of the boards of management (BoM) of autonomous hospitals, an official said here on Monday.

He said the gist of the new rules was that the powers of BoM had been reduced as compared to the defunct boards of governors (BoGs) which had to be sent packing earlier this year due to intense protests by the doctors’ community.

The official said most of the reservations of doctors had been addressed to and it was hoped that the doctors would find the new system “friendly”.

He said though the new system had taken effect a few months ago, the rules to operationalize the new system were not spelled out at that time. “Thus, the functioning of the BoM had been jeopardized, leaving patients in the lurch.”

The new rules, he added, aimed at providing autonomy in letter and spirit and improving administrative, financial, curative, preventive, rehabilitative and developmental profiles of the hospitals.

Specifying some of the new changes in the rules as compared to the previous ones, he said the powers of the board to appoint medical superintendents and principals of medical colleges had been withdrawn.

The BoM have now been authorized to make recommendations for these key appointments at hospitals and it would be the prerogative of the government whether or not to accept them. Previously, it were the BoG that appointed the medical superintendents, which at many places gave rise to misgivings.

Secondly, the new rules have made it clear that the members of BoM would get no perks and privileges. However, they would be entitled to honorarium for attending board meetings, which have to be held once in a month.

The defunct rules had a provision for BoG’ perks and privileges.

There have been certain changes in the recruitment procedure as well. The appointments for grades 1-16 would be made by the BoM on the recommendation of a committee comprising medical superintendents and principals of the respective medical colleges. Whereas the provincial health department would now make all appointments in BPS 17.

Formerly, the medical superintendents appointed employees in BPS 1-16 and the BoGs were the appointing authority for BPS 17 and above.

The role of the newly-formed position of the chairman of academic council of the medical colleges has not been clarified. In case of transfers, the official said, the BoM might continue to enjoy the authority of repatriating any doctor to the parent health department but it would now have to record reasons for displacing him.

The provincial government would also be able to post anyone in the autonomous institutions or take anyone back depending on its requirements.