Kuwait City: Kuwait’s Minister of Health, Sheikh Dr. Salman Al-Sabah, has approved a new mechanism to regulate interactions within healthcare facilities, clearly defining the responsibilities of doctors, allied health professionals and pharmacists while strengthening administrative procedures to improve patient services.
Under the new policy, healthcare professionals are required to limit their interactions with patients to medical, clinical and technical matters directly related to healthcare. They have also been instructed to avoid becoming involved in administrative, legal, organisational or service-related disputes that fall outside their professional responsibilities.
Any complaints, observations or issues requiring administrative or legal intervention must be referred to the hospital administration or the public relations department, which will handle them in accordance with established procedures.
The mechanism also outlines the responsibilities of healthcare facility administrations and public relations departments. They are required to respond promptly to patient inquiries, assist patients and their families, remove administrative obstacles, facilitate access to healthcare services and maintain an organised and safe environment within medical facilities.
Hospital administrations have also been directed to intervene immediately in situations that may disrupt services or affect the smooth functioning of healthcare facilities, taking appropriate action in line with existing regulations.
The Ministry stressed that administrative, organisational and service-related responsibilities rest solely with the competent authorities, and medical professionals and pharmacists cannot be assigned duties beyond the scope of their legally defined roles.
The new mechanism takes immediate effect, with sector heads, health district directors and hospital and health centre administrators instructed to ensure its implementation and monitor compliance.
The policy is based on Law No. 70 of 2020 governing the practice of medicine and patients’ rights, Law No. 28 of 1996 regulating pharmacy and medicines, and other civil service regulations. The Ministry said the initiative aims to strengthen professional standards, improve healthcare quality and create a safe working environment while protecting the rights of both healthcare workers and patients.
