The Director General Health Services (DGHS) of Haryana has taken major moves to repatriate 20 doctors who are now employed at the Chandigarh health department as part of a continuous endeavor to manage its medical personnel and solve the protracted deputation of doctors. The doctors’ deputation has lasted significantly longer than planned, which is why the DGHS has demanded that they return to Haryana.
In order to return these doctors from their prolonged postings in Chandigarh, the DGHS, Haryana, has formally asked the relevant authorities to start the repatriation procedure. In order to make this easier, the DGHS has written to the additional chief secretary for health in Haryana. This person has the power to bring up the matter with the administration of the Union Territory (UT). This action is compliant with the 2016 Haryana Civil Services Rules, which regulate the duration of deputation for public servants.
Deputations from any government agency are normally approved for a maximum of three years at a time, according the Haryana Civil Services Rules, 2016. The regulations do, however, permit extensions past this time frame if judged essential to protect the public interest. In particular, the deputation time may be extended for a maximum of five years, subject to prior agreement from the financial and administrative departments. To guarantee adherence to the requirements, this approval procedure needs to be finished well in advance.
The DGHS office’s list illustrates how serious the problem is. It lists 16 medical officers whose deputation has lasted longer than nine years, as well as six senior medical officers who have been on deputation for more than 14 years. These longer terms are far longer than the five years that the Haryana Civil Services Rules allow.
There are various issues with this doctors’ extended deputation. First and foremost, it implies a departure from the deputations’ intended temporary nature, which is usually to cover gaps in short order or supply specialized knowledge temporarily. Prolonged deputations may also result in problems with resource allocation and personnel planning in the home state—in this case, Haryana.
The DGHS highlights the importance of repatriation in the formal letter, requesting that the Haryana government take the required actions to return doctors who have been on deputation for longer than five years, if higher authorities provide permission. This request emphasizes how crucial it is to follow the set guidelines and policies pertaining to deputations.
Long-term deputations may affect the home state and the host organization in a number of ways. The prolonged absence of these medical professionals may cause Haryana’s health department to lack qualified and experienced physicians. The provision of healthcare services may be impacted by this scarcity, especially in underserved or rural areas where there is a greater need for medical personnel.
While these doctors’ ongoing employment may have given Chandigarh security and continuity, it also begs the question of whether it is better to rely on deputed workers rather than building a permanent workforce. Reliance on extended deputations may impede the advancement and maturation of a long-term healthcare staff in the UT.
The circumstance draws attention to the workforce management’s wider effects on the healthcare industry. Maintaining a balanced and sufficiently staffed healthcare system requires effective delegation management and adherence to established protocols. It also emphasizes the necessity of ongoing observation and evaluation of deputation agreements in order to avoid reoccurring problems of this kind.
The governments in Chandigarh and Haryana may need to review their deputation rules and procedures in the future. This might entail improved workforce needs planning, more stringent enforcement of deputation times, and more cooperation between the two administrations. To maintain regulatory compliance, greater effort might be placed into creating stronger systems for routine audits and reviews of deputation statuses.
In addressing the issue of protracted deputation, the DGHS Haryana’s request to repatriate 20 doctors from Chandigarh is a major step forward. Upholding the Haryana Civil Services Rules, 2016 and making sure these physicians return on time are essential to keeping a productive and well-rounded medical staff. To make this procedure easier, the administrations of Chandigarh and Haryana must cooperate while keeping in mind the individual and professional needs of the impacted physicians. This story serves as a reminder of the value of careful personnel management as well as the necessity of continuous policy evaluation and modification to satisfy changing healthcare demands.
SOURCE:
TIMES OF INDIA
