Circular No. 55/2010/TT-BCA on the management and health care for officers and soldiers in the People's Police Force

CIRCULAR
Provisions on management and health care for officers and soldiers in the People's Public Security Force.
For officers and soldiers in the People's Public Security Force.

Pursuant to the Law on the People's Public Security Force 2005;

Pursuant to the Law on Medical Examination and Treatment 2009;

Pursuant to the Decree No. 77/2009/NĐ-CP dated September 15, 2009 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Public Security;

Pursuant to Decision No. 243/2005/QĐ-TTg dated October 5, 2005 of the Government promulgating the Action Program of the Government to implement Resolution No. 46-NQ/TW dated May 23, 2005 of the Politburo on work related to the protection, care, and improvement of people's health in the new situation;

The Ministry of Public Security stipulates provisions on management, care, and health monitoring; hierarchical health management; and communication, education, and health counseling for officers and soldiers in the People's Public Security Force as follows:

PART I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope of Regulation

This Circular stipulates provisions on management, monitoring, and health care; hierarchical health management; and communication, education, and health counseling for officers and soldiers in the People's Public Security Force.

Article 2. Applicability

This Circular applies to:

1. Officers, non-commissioned officers in specialized positions, officers, non-commissioned officers in technical positions, soldiers serving with a fixed term, workers, civil servants in the People's Public Security Force, students, and trainees in public security schools (hereinafter referred to collectively as officers and soldiers);

2. Health facilities of the People's Public Security Force and organizations and individuals related to the management and health care of officers and soldiers in the People's Public Security Force.

Article 3. Principles of management and health care for officers and soldiers

1. To be proactive, regular, timely, clearly hierarchical, and strictly adhere to professional technical regulations to ensure and improve the health of officers and soldiers for their work and combat duties.

2. Health records of officers and soldiers must be recorded fully, accurately, and promptly, and must be strictly managed at the unit.

3. Actively coordinate with military and civilian medical services in the locality to ensure health care for officers and soldiers.

Article 4. Definitions

In this Circular, the following terms shall be understood as follows:

1. Health care refers to the implementation of preventive measures for officers and soldiers when they are healthy and medical examination and treatment for officers and soldiers when they are injured or ill.

2. Medical examination refers to the process of asking about illness, collecting medical history, physical examination, and conducting certain tests to determine the health status of the person being examined.

3. Comprehensive medical examination refers to the implementation of a full examination of all basic factors of health, including physical examination, clinical examination, and ancillary clinical examination.

4. Periodic medical examination refers to the repeated medical examination carried out at regular intervals.

5. Management of health for officers and soldiers refers to the health service of units establishing health records, promptly, fully, and accurately supplementing information on medical examinations and treatments into health records so that the health service of the unit can grasp the health conditions and developments of each officer and soldier, and provide health information for professional requirements and other requirements of the unit commander.

6. Regular health monitoring refers to the process of understanding the daily health condition developments of each officer and soldier through health management work.

7. Chronic disease refers to a group of diseases requiring long-term treatment, complex treatment processes, and uncertain or difficult recovery.

Chapter II

SPECIFIC PROVISIONS

Article 5. Regular health monitoring

1. Regular health monitoring work is conducted as follows:

a) For officers, non-commissioned officers in specialized positions, officers, non-commissioned officers in technical positions, workers, and civil servants in the People's Public Security Force: health services of units conduct initial health checks, establish health records, monitor health conditions; particularly paying attention to those with health categories III, IV, V; those with chronic diseases or changes in health due to age, working in hazardous environments, remote areas, to implement appropriate preventive treatment measures.

b) For soldiers serving with a fixed term, students, and trainees in public security schools: health services of units establish health records after conducting selection medical examinations; monitor health in terms of training, work, and living.

c) Timely provide emergency care and treatment for cases of illness, injury, or accidents during work and living activities.

2. Based on the results of regular health monitoring, classify health conditions and determine exercise routines, training methods, preventive measures, and propose job assignments and combat deployments suitable to the health status of each officer and soldier.

Article 6. Monitoring and Treating Chronic Diseases

1. Health units shall register lists of officers and soldiers suffering from chronic diseases within their units for management and monitoring of disease progression and treatment; they shall also periodically review and evaluate treatment outcomes for each officer and soldier with chronic diseases.

2. The process of treating chronic diseases for officers and soldiers is as follows:

a) Guide living and working conditions, physical training suitable for each officer and soldier;

b) Guide medication usage and monitor medication use by officers and soldiers;

c) Regularly promote and educate knowledge about chronic diseases to officers and soldiers;

d) Periodically check health status and evaluate treatment outcomes for each officer and soldier.

3. Results of monitoring and treating chronic diseases must be recorded in health files and health monitoring charts. Health units must promptly compile, analyze, and report to unit leaders, higher-level health authorities, and propose subsequent treatment measures to improve the health of officers and soldiers.

Article 7. Regular Health Examinations

1. Regular health examinations for officers and soldiers are conducted in two forms: centralized and individual examinations.

2. Conditions for regular health examination facilities

Health facilities participating in regular health examinations for officers and soldiers must meet the following conditions:

a) Have specialist doctors: internal medicine, surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, ophthalmology, otolaryngology, dentistry; have laboratory technicians for various tests;

b) Have sufficient infrastructure, equipment, and examination rooms as specified in Appendix 1 issued together with this Circular; if insufficient infrastructure exists, collaboration through contractual agreements with other facilities having adequate personnel, infrastructure, and equipment can be utilized to organize regular health examinations for officers and soldiers.

Standards for consumable materials and funding for regular health examination activities are implemented according to the provisions in Appendix 3 issued together with this Circular.

3. Regular health examinations for officers and soldiers are carried out based on work conditions, characteristics, and specific circumstances of each unit and locality but must ensure that regular health examinations are organized at least once every two years.

4. Officers and soldiers are responsible for providing complete, accurate, and truthful personal information, current health status, and medical history of themselves and their families in the medical history section of the examination subject.

5. Process of regular health examinations:

- Physical examination, including: measuring height, weight, average chest circumference; checking parameters such as heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature, respiratory rate, and BMI;

- Comprehensive clinical examination across specialties;

- Mandatory ancillary examinations: blood test; urinalysis; chest X-ray;

- Other ancillary examinations: health facilities only conduct additional ancillary examinations for officers and soldiers upon the clinical doctor's prescription.

Clinical doctors after conducting health examinations for officers and soldiers must classify health status according to specialty; sign and clearly write their names in the regular health examination book specified in Appendix 2 issued together with this Circular and bear responsibility for their conclusions.

Persons responsible for recording results of ancillary examinations must sign and clearly write their names in the regular health examination book.

6. Based on clinical and ancillary examination results, authorized persons or those delegated to conclude on the health status of officers and soldiers include the following contents:

- Classify health status of officers and soldiers according to Ministry of Health standards;

- Clearly record any diseases or disabilities (if any) and propose treatment plans, rehabilitation programs, specialized examinations for treatment, and occupational health examinations;

- Recommend appropriate job assignments to competent authorities.

7. Unit health examination heads or persons authorized by unit health examination heads must conclude and sign the regular health examination book and bear responsibility for their conclusions. The regular health examination book is stored at the unit health facility.

8. After regular health examinations, unit health facilities must assess post-examination health status of officers and soldiers as follows:

a) Assess the percentage of personnel examined, health status categories, and compare results with previous examinations.

b) Assess the impact of exercise, training, and living conditions on the health of officers and soldiers.

c) Assess the strengths and weaknesses of unit health facilities in managing and caring for the health of officers and soldiers.

d) List officers and soldiers with health categories III, IV, V; those with chronic diseases and necessary measures such as dietary, exercise, treatment, and convalescence regimens; propose measures to address factors negatively impacting the health of officers and soldiers to the unit.

Article 8. Reporting System

1. Reporting system after regular health examinations

a) After obtaining the results of regular health examinations for officers and soldiers, Heads of Departments, Chiefs of Bureaus, and Unit Health Managers must compile the health status of officers and soldiers and submit reports to higher-level health authorities and unit leaders.

b) Results of regular health examinations for officers and soldiers must be fully stored and statistically included in the general activities of health facilities.

2. Reporting system on ongoing health monitoring work

a) Heads of Departments, Chiefs of Bureaus, and Unit Health Managers are responsible for compiling and reporting the health status of officers and soldiers as follows: once a month for subjects specified in point a, Clause 2, Article 12 of this Circular; once every three months for subjects specified in points b and c, Clause 2, Article 12 of this Circular. For cases of seriously ill, injured, or deceased officers and soldiers, immediate reports must be made according to management levels.

b) Hospitals (once a week) and infirmaries (once a month) are responsible for reporting to the Health Bureau the list of subjects specified in point a, Clause 2, Article 12 of this Circular who are admitted for emergency care and treatment at hospitals and infirmaries according to regulations of the High-Ranking Cadres' Health Protection and Care Board under the Ministry of Public Security.

Article 9. Health Check-ups When Necessary

Health check-ups when necessary for officers and soldiers shall be conducted by the unit's medical service in the following cases:

1. Officers and soldiers returning from long-term missions to assess infectious disease conditions.

2. Officers and soldiers returning from hospital or infirmary treatment to assess current health status; determine subsequent preventive treatment measures as prescribed by the hospital or infirmary.

3. Officers and soldiers assigned to work in kitchens, food stores to detect skin diseases, infectious diseases, and gastrointestinal diseases.

4. Officers and soldiers working with harmful factors.

5. Officers and soldiers classified as health types III, IV, and V if deemed necessary.

6. Officers and soldiers participating in special training sessions or sports competitions. The health check-up for these subjects shall be carried out as follows:

a) The unit's medical service participates in planning training and physical fitness programs and conducts daily checks on training and physical fitness activities: mainly applied at schools, academies, training centers, police protection units, mobile police units, and security units within the Public Security force.

b) The unit's medical service conducts health checks before, during, and after training and competitions to evaluate the impact of such activities on health and decide whether to continue training and competition.

Article 10. Education, Counseling, and Health Communication

1. The unit's medical service is responsible for providing health counseling and organizing hygiene and disease prevention communication for officers and soldiers to implement regulations on hygiene and accident prevention effectively.

2. Counseling and communication methods must be selected appropriately for each category of officers and soldiers, including: individual approach, group approach, or social approach (through radio, television, publications, and other means such as audiovisual materials and promotional images).

   Article 11. Health Care Regime

The health care regime for officers and soldiers is implemented as follows:

1. The subject defined in point a, Clause 2, Article 12 of this Circular, who are leaders, shall be provided health care according to the regime stipulated by the High-Ranking Cadres Health Protection Board of the Ministry of Public Security.

2. The subjects defined in points b and c, Clause 2, Article 12 of this Circular shall implement the health care regime as follows:

a) Health type I and II: the unit's medical service guides officers and soldiers to self-care.

b) Health type III, IV, and V: the unit's medical service needs to have specific monitoring regimes and propose appropriate preventive treatment regimes suitable for each case of officers and soldiers (hospitalization, rest, convalescence).

3. In cases where officers and soldiers suffer from serious illnesses requiring significant medical expenses exceeding the capacity of the Public Security Medical Service, they must be transferred to higher-level hospitals under the Ministry of Health for treatment. Payment for medical examination and treatment costs shall be implemented according to Circular No. 04/2008/TT-BCA-H11 dated March 17, 2008, of the Ministry of Public Security guiding the payment system for medical examination and treatment in the Public Security force.

Article 12. Hierarchical Management of Health

1. Medical facilities implementing health management and care for officers and soldiers in the Public Security force include:

a) The High-Ranking Cadres Health Protection Board of the Ministry of Public Security;

b) Hospitals under the General Logistics and Technical Department;

c) Medical services of the General Departments, Military Commands, Bureaus, Institutes, Academies, Police Schools, Health Departments, provincial and centrally-administered city police hospitals and infirmaries;

d) Medical services of detention centers, temporary detention centers, educational institutions, and juvenile correctional schools;

đ) Medical services of mobile police battalions, district, county, town, and centrally-administered city public security medical services.

2. Regular health management and care for officers and soldiers are hierarchically divided as follows:

a) The High-Ranking Cadres Health Protection Board of the Ministry of Public Security collaborates with central hospitals under the Ministry of Health, Ministry of National Defense, and Ministry of Public Security to organize annual comprehensive health examinations for leaders holding the rank of Major General or equivalent positions such as Deputy Bureau Chiefs, Deputy Department Chiefs, Provincial Public Security Directors, Deputy Directors, and Directors of Fire Prevention, Firefighting, Rescue, and Relief Departments and equivalent positions.

b) Medical services of local public security units organize annual comprehensive health examinations for officers holding the rank of Senior Colonel, Colonel, or equivalent positions such as Department Chiefs, Deputy Department Chiefs, and biennial examinations for remaining officers and soldiers.

c) Medical services of mobile police battalions and district, county, town, and centrally-administered city public security medical services are responsible for guiding disease prevention work and collaborating with higher-level medical services in health management and care; implementing chronic disease treatment directives from hospitals and infirmaries for unit officers and soldiers.

Article 13. Health records of officers and soldiers

1. Each officer and soldier shall be issued one health book and one health record to be kept at the unit's medical department.

2. The health record of officers and soldiers of the People's Public Security includes:

a) Health book;

b) Health certificate;

c) Medical examination certificate for citizens serving on a temporary basis in the People's Public Security;

d) Re-examination medical certificate for citizens serving on a temporary basis in the People's Public Security;

đ) Regular health check-up book;

e) Statistical book of health examinations for citizens serving on a temporary basis in the People's Public Security;

g) Statistical book of regular health check-ups.

Article 14. Funding for the management and care of the health of officers and soldiers

1. The funding for the management and care of the health of officers and soldiers of the People's Public Security shall be provided from the state budget and allocated in the annual budget estimate of the Ministry of Public Security.

2. The preparation of regular funding estimates for the management and care of the health of officers and soldiers shall be carried out as follows:

a) Annually, the medical departments of public security units and localities shall base their estimates on the requirements of the tasks related to the management and care of the health of officers and soldiers, and shall be responsible for preparing the budget estimates for ensuring the management and care of the health of officers and soldiers within their functional responsibilities, tasks, and authorities, and submit the budget estimates to their direct superior management agencies;

b) Based on the budget estimates submitted by the medical departments of public security units and localities, the direct superior management units shall aggregate and prepare overall budget estimates to be submitted for consideration and decision by leaders at all levels with authority;

c) The management, distribution, use, settlement, and final accounting of funds allocated from the state budget for the management and care of the health of officers and soldiers must comply with the provisions of the State Budget Law and the implementing regulations.,     3. Emergency funding for the management and care of the health of officers and soldiers shall be proposed and reported by the General Logistics and Technical Department in coordination with the Finance Department to the leadership of the Ministry for consideration and decision.

This Circular takes effect from February 1, 2011, and replaces Decision No. 692/1999/QĐ-BCA(H11) dated November 5, 1999, of the Minister of Public Security on the issuance of regulations on the periodic health examination system for officers and soldiers in the People's Public Security force.

Chapter III

IMPLEMENTATION

Article 15. Effective Date

1. The General Logistics and Technical Department shall be responsible for organizing the implementation, guiding, and inspecting the implementation of this Circular.

Article 16. Responsibility for Implementation

2. The heads of general departments under the Ministry, the directors of provincial public security services directly under the central government, and the directors of fire prevention, firefighting, rescue, and disaster relief services within their functional responsibilities, tasks, and authorities shall be responsible for organizing the implementation of this Circular.

During the implementation process, if any difficulties arise, public security units and localities shall report them to the Ministry (through the General Logistics and Technical Department) for timely guidance.

During implementation, if any obstacles arise, the police units and localities shall report to the Ministry (through the General Department of Logistics - Technical Services) for timely guidance.