KZN ambulance services to register for operating license
In terms of the new Emergency Medical Services Regulations, ambulance operators working in the province without a department-issued license could soon face massive fines or jail time.
The KwaZulu-Natal Health Department announced the implementation of the new regulations this week.
They mean operators, both State and private, now have to apply to the department for a license. They have until the end of November to do so.
Health says the aim is to improve the quality of patient care, rid the sector of fly-by-night operators and to standardise operations so that services received are the same across the board.
Currently, the department says, there is nothing in place to ensure ambulance services are manned by registered, adequately trained staff with proper and adequate equipment.
The licence application process will be overseen by an independent advisory committee which will make recommendations to the HOD and licences will be administered by an independent licensing and inspectorate unit, which the department's still in the process of establishing.
They will permit operators to work only within a specific health district and will be valid for a year and reviewed annually.
Any operator who continues to provide emergency care services without a licence, will be guilty of an offence and if convicted, could be fined up to R500,000 or jailed for upto five years.
They mean operators, both State and private, now have to apply to the department for a license. They have until the end of November to do so.
Health says the aim is to improve the quality of patient care, rid the sector of fly-by-night operators and to standardise operations so that services received are the same across the board.
Currently, the department says, there is nothing in place to ensure ambulance services are manned by registered, adequately trained staff with proper and adequate equipment.
The licence application process will be overseen by an independent advisory committee which will make recommendations to the HOD and licences will be administered by an independent licensing and inspectorate unit, which the department's still in the process of establishing.
They will permit operators to work only within a specific health district and will be valid for a year and reviewed annually.
Any operator who continues to provide emergency care services without a licence, will be guilty of an offence and if convicted, could be fined up to R500,000 or jailed for upto five years.