J&K Medical Council warns registered doctors over unethical practices

Srinagar, Jan 02: The Jammu and Kashmir Medical Council on Thursday issued a series of directives to registered medical practitioners to desist from unethical practices and reinforce professional standards as per Indian Medical Council Regulations, 2002.
The move has come to enhance patient safety and uphold the integrity of medical practice. These measures aim to eliminate unethical practices and curb quackery.
President of J&K Medical Council, Dr. Saleem Khan said it is their responsibility as a regulatory body to ensure that patients are rightly treated by registered qualified doctors.
“There is a need to stop unethical practices and quackery/impersonation wherein unqualified persons trap the over-trusting patients, violate their rights and indulge in unauthorized practices and bring bad name to medical professionalism,” he said.
In a notice issued to the registered doctors, it impressed upon all the doctors registered with J&KMC to follow IMC Regulations, 2002 in letter and spirit.
It directed all the registered doctors whether in government or private sector to necessarily mention their registration number issued by J&K Medical Council.
“The doctors shall put sign, name, designation and registration number issued by JKMC along with date and time on all prescriptions in OPDs, clinical notes on patient case records, investigation reports, medical certificates, and all documents wherever required as a govt. doctor while dealing in patient care as a responsible registered doctor,” it said.
Doctors in the private sector like nursing homes, hospitals, and clinics in J&K must display their name, recognized qualifications, honors (if any), specialty and registration number from the J&K Medical Council on all prescriptions, certificates, and receipts issued to patients.
The notice encouraged the registered doctors shall put the QR Code issued lately on permanent registration certificates, on their prescription pads enabling patients to verify the credentials of the consulting doctor registered with J&K Medical Council.
“Medical practitioners in J&K should display the legally attested copies of registered qualifications (including degree/diploma of specialty) and permanent registration certificate issued by J&KMC at their place of private practice,” it said.
The notice said that the registration number issued by J&K Medical Council and medical qualifications registered with J&K Medical Council/NMC shall be used in prescriptions, seals, and letter pads.
“The practitioners are authorized to practice only those specialties, the qualifications of which they should have qualified and registered with J&K Medical Council,” it said.
The Medical Council stated that doctors must display their registration number from the J&K Medical Council on their clinic, prescriptions, and certificates.
Failure to do so, or violation of regulation 1.4.2 of the Indian Medical Council Regulations, 2002, will be considered professional misconduct, subjecting the doctor to disciplinary action.