Drinking on duty can get doctors suspended for 3 years: NMC draft RMP ethics Guidelines
New Delhi: In an attempt to put a stop to the practices of drunk duty by medical professionals, the Ethics and Medical Registration Board (EMRB) of the National Medical Commission (NMC) has specified that intoxication during duty or off duty affecting professional practice will be considered as misconduct resulting in suspension.
As per the recently released Draft Registered Medical Practitioner (Professional Conduct) Regulations, 2022, the doctors can now get suspended for a period ranging from 3 months to 3 years if they are found guilty of attending patients while intoxicated.
"Use of Alcohol or other intoxicants during duty or off duty which can affect professional practice will constitute misconduct. (L3, L4)," read Section 23 of the Draft Regulations.
Apart from this, the Draft Regulations have also barred the doctors from practicing during the period of incapacity. While specifying the duties of the Registered Medical Practitioners towards their patients, Section 23 stated, "A Registered Medical Practitioner having any incapacity (induced or otherwise) detrimental to the patient or professional practice, which can affect his decision-making or skill in treating the patient is not permitted to practice his profession for the period of incapacity."
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