Form flying squads to inspect hospitals: Madras High Court

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Wednesday directed the Tamil Nadu government to constitute required number of flying squads at regional and district levels for conducting frequent surprise inspections in government hospitals and primary health centres to ensure doctors, nurses and paramedical staff attend their duties as per the rules in force.

Justice S M Subramaniam gave the direction while allowing a writ petition from S Muthumanimalai, who sought to quash the proceedings initiated by the Dean of Coimbatore Medical College Hospital in 2016 against her and to release the retirement benefits to her.

The activities of the 'Flying Squads' should be monitored by the Head of the Department/ government as the case may be, so as to maintain their efficiency, the judge said.

The order dated September 12, 2016 of the Dean directed the petitioner to pay Rs 56.45 lakh, the loss she had caused to the government exchequer due to excessive purchase of speciality medicines. Though she was allowed to retire on superannuation, her retirement benefits were withheld. Hence, the present petition.

After quashing the order, the judge remitted the matter back to the authorities concerned.

The competent authorities shall conduct a detailed enquiry, if required by obtaining an appropriate permission from the State Health department and initiate all appropriate actions against the officials concerned, including the petitioner, by following the procedures and by affording opportunity to them and dispose of the same within three months.

The petitioner should co-operate for the early disposal of the enquiry proceedings and in the event of non-cooperation, the same shall be recorded in the minutes by the competent authorities and in such circumstances, the petitioner is not entitled to seek any relief on the ground of delay in disposal of enquiry proceedings, the judge added.