Doctors, institutions to be fined for violation of work conditions in Oman

Muscat: A fine of up to OMR 1,000 will be imposed on institutions and doctors who violate the regulations of work in private health institutions.

The Minister of Health issued a ministerial decision to amend some provisions of the permit regulations for doctors, working in private medical institutions out of official working hours.

Article 3 of the decision said: “The application must be submitted by an Omani doctor occupying the position of a first consultant physician or a consultant physician or a specialist in the medical specializations determined by the technical committee, with the exception of a non-Omani physician who occupies the position of a first consultant physician or a consultant physician, subject to the approval of the relevant committee."

Article 5: The permit application shall submitted to the directorate and it must decide on it within 60 days. If the period has passed without a decision being issued, the application is rejected.

Article 8: "The owner of the permit must abide by working days and hours and it may not be changed except with the approval of the government medical institution in which he/she works. Emergency cases are excepted."

The doctor’s working hours in the private institution should be out of the working days in the government institution and not exceed two days per week.

Article 14: "The technical committee may impose penalties against the authorized doctors, the private medical institution, or both, including warning, a fine of no more than OMR 1,000, and suspension of the permit for a period not exceeding one year."