PESHAWAR, May 14: The NWFP health department has approved an eight-stage service structure for paramedics with effect from December 2005, the day the provincial cabinet approved the service structure for more than 10,000 paramedics.

The existing 57 categories of paramedics have been restructured into 14 speciality cadres.

According to an official, posts in BPS-5 to BPS-9 in all specialties will be restructured as Junior Technicians (BPS-9), posts in BPS-10 to BPS-12 will be restructured as Technicians (BPS-12), posts in BPS-13 and BPS-14 will be restructured as Senior Technicians (BPS-14), posts in BPS-15 and BPS-16 will be restructured as Chief Technicians (BPS-16), posts in BPS-17 will be restructured as Technologist (BPS-17), posts in BPS-18 will be restructured as Senior Technologist (BPS-18), posts in BPS-19 will be restructured as Chief Technologist (BPS-19) and posts in BPS-20 will be restructured as Principal Technologists (BPS-20).

The words “clinical” shall be mentioned with the categories of posts meant for paramedics working in hospitals and “Primary Health Care” with paramedics working in the field along with a mention of the specific specialty, for e.g. Junior Clinical Technician (Radiology) and Junior Primary Health Care Technician (multi-purpose).

The number of posts in BPS-20, BPS-19, BPS-18, BPS-17, BPS-16, BPS-14, BPS-12 and BPS-9 shall be according to the proportionate ratio based on the total 8,965 posts as mentioned in the provincial budget book for financial year 2005-2006.

The proportionate ratio of 8 stage formula shall be as follows: Posts in BPS-9 (80 per cent), posts in BPS-12 (12 per cent), posts in BPS-14 (3.5 per cent), posts in BPS-16 (2.5 per cent), posts in BPS-17 (1.86 per cent), posts in BPS-18 (0.09 per cent), posts in BPS-19 (0.04 per cent) and posts in BPS-20 (0.01 per cent).

However, additional posts shall be created for any of the leftover personnel of paramedics’ cadre (if any).

Moreover, subsequent creation of posts in any of the 14 paramedics’ cadres in any scale shall also be included in the aforementioned proportionate ratio of posts in the eight-tiered formula.

The proportionate ratios of posts in BPS-12 and above shall be modified accordingly as and when new creation of posts are made in BPS-9 in each of the 14 cadres subsequently.

Seniority of the incumbents of the posts in the 14 cadres so merged shall be caused on the basis of scale-wise seniority as well as date of regular appointment in the pay scale, for e.g. in joint seniority list of BPS-12. The official already in BPS-12 will be placed on top of the list and the officials in the lower pay scale shall be accordingly placed step by step in the list, invariably keeping intact the inter-cum-seniority of the incumbents in the same pay scales).

In the first instance, higher posts in the restructured 14 paramedics’ cadres as per annexure “C” shall be filled in by way of promotion as a one-time exercise where after the service rules duly prescribed as at annexure D shall be followed in subsequent promotion or initial recruitment.

Promotions in posts in BPS-18, BPS-19 and BPS-20 shall be made on the basis of joint seniority list. The joint seniority list of all 14 cadres shall be caused at the BPS-17 level keeping in view the principles laid down in section 8 of the NWFP Civil Servants Act 1973 read with Rule 17 of the NWFP Civil Servants (appointment, promotion and transfer) Rules, 1989.

There shall be a council of paramedics to be notified separately. The approved implementation committee and anomaly committee shall also be notified separately.

This eight-stage paramedics’ service structure will replace all existing categories, cadres, structures and nomenclatures and will cancel all such cadre rules and regulations, etc., which are in contravention to the approved paramedics’ service structure.

New posts in all types of Health Delivery Systems will be created in future in accordance with the framework of the structure. Any new specialties will be added in the framework of approved paramedics’ service structure.