Directive No. 10/2001/CT-BYT on Strengthening Inspection and Supervision Work in the Field of State Management in Health Care

DIRECTIVE

On Strengthening Inspection and Supervision Work in the Field of State Management in Health Care

______________________________________

In recent years, since the establishment of the State Health Inspection System, localities and units have carried out inspection and supervision work contributing to the management of the sector. However, currently, there are still many shortcomings in inspection and supervision work. The health inspection force is still lacking at both central and local levels, the working capacity of some inspection officers is limited, not commensurate with the assigned tasks; violations of health laws are still widespread, handling of violations in many places is not strict, the effectiveness and efficiency of state management in health care are still low.

Pursuant toThe National Strategy for Health Care and Protection of People's Health for the Period 2001-2010which has been approved by the Prime Minister. To enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of state management in health care to better perform health care and protection of people's health, meeting the requirements and tasks of the health sector in the new situation, the Minister of Health instructs the Directors of Provincial Health Departments (hereinafter referred to as provinces) and Heads of units under the Ministry to promptly implement the requirements on inspection and supervision work as follows:

1. Improving the organizational system, strengthening staff and working conditions to serve inspection and supervision work.

1.1 Based on the current staffing quota of the Ministry of Health, the Department of Organization and Cadres shall cooperate with the Inspectorate of the Ministry to assist the Minister of Health in arranging and strengthening the number of staff at the Ministry's Inspectorate to ensure the completion of assigned tasks.

1.2 To gradually improve the quality of staff engaged in inspection work, ensuring that the Health Inspectorate has sufficient capacity to fulfill the functions of state inspection and specialized health inspection as stipulated by the Inspection Law and the Regulations on State Health Inspection, the Department of Organization and Cadres shall cooperate with the Inspectorate of the Ministry and the Public Health University to strengthen training and professional development for health inspectors.

1.3 The Directors of Provincial Health Departments shall, based on the local staffing quota, be responsible for reasonably arranging and strengthening staff for the Provincial Health Inspectorate; directing county health centers, district health centers, town health centers, and provincial city health centers (hereinafter collectively referred to as counties) to arrange dedicated or part-time staff for health inspection work; improving the network of inspection cooperators from the Ministry of Health, Provincial Health Departments, and County Health Centers; increasing investment in equipment and funding, implementing all systems and policies prescribed by law for Inspectors and inspection staff.

1.4 Each unit under the Ministry of Health must arrange staff to assist the Head of the unit in self-inspection and supervision of the implementation of policies, laws, assigned tasks, and handling complaints and grievances according to the provisions ofThe Regulation on Inspection, Supervision, Complaint Handling, and Grievance Resolution of the Head of the Health Authorityissued together with Decision No. 2442/2001/QĐ-BYT dated June 25, 2001, of the Minister of Health.

2. Strengthening guidance and organization of inspection and supervision work in the field of state management in health care.

2.1 The Ministry of Health Inspectorate and Provincial Health Inspectorates have the responsibility to collect and develop annual inspection and supervision plans; enhancing coordination with relevant agencies and inter-agency cooperation in inspection and supervision of the implementation of regulations on medical examination and treatment, pharmaceuticals (including medical equipment), hygiene (including food safety and vaccine, biological products, chemicals, insecticides, and disinfectants used in household and health care sectors); avoiding overlapping and causing inconvenience to establishments. During inspections and supervision, timely identification, correction of violations, and resolute handling of violators according to the law must be ensured.

For Provincial Health Inspectorates, in addition to performing their duties as prescribed by law, they also have the responsibility to guide health management officials under the People's Committee of the district in building and implementing inspection plans in the field of state management in health care within their jurisdiction as stipulated in Government Decree No. 12/2001/NĐ-CP dated March 27, 2001, on "Organizing Some Specialized Agencies Under the People's Committees of Provinces and Cities Directly Under the Central Government and District People's Committees."

2.2 The Directors of Provincial Health Departments and Heads of units under the Ministry must regularly organize and effectively carry out inspection and supervision of the implementation of policies, laws, and assigned tasks by subordinate units; closely coordinating between activities of State Health Inspection, inspection by the Head, people's inspection, and party inspection to promptly resolve citizens' complaints and grievances.

3. Responsibility for Implementation.

3.1 The Vice Ministers and Directors of Departments and Bureaus are responsible for guiding, urging, and strengthening the inspection of the implementation of regulations within their respective fields of management; cooperating with the Ministry's Inspectorate in inspection and supervision activities to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of state management in health care.

3.2 The Ministry of Health Inspectorate, in addition to performing inspection rights as prescribed by law, is responsible for strengthening guidance on inspection and supervision procedures, complaint resolution, and grievance handling for Provincial Health Inspectorates and inspection by the Head of units; coordinating with the Vietnam Medical Association to guide inspection procedures for people's inspectors of units under the Ministry of Health's management.

3.3 The Directors of Provincial Health Departments and Heads of units under the Ministry are responsible for organizing the implementation of this Directive and reporting periodically to the Ministry's Inspectorate for consolidation and reporting to the leadership of the Ministry of Health.