Physiotherapist

Download Application Form

License Fees

	1 Year
Licence fee	SCR1500

Documents To Accompany Application

a) In the case of an individual, a copy of the certificate of competence in the relevant Health Care Service.
b) Transcript of training and proof of experience in the field of the relevant Health Care Service.
c) In the case of a firm, the documents referred to in paragraphs (a) and (b) in respect of each of the partners of the firm and the certificate of registration of the firm.
d) In the case of a corporate body, written documents referred to in paragraphs (a) and (b) relating to the Health Care Services specified in the application, and the certificate of incorporation and memorandum of association of the corporate body
e) In the case of a new or recently renovated premises, a copy of the certificate of occupancy issued by the Ministry responsible for Physical Planning.
f) If not the owner of the premises a copy of the lease agreement of the premises to be used to provide services

Guidelines For Private Practice In Seychelles

1. The Practitioner
   

1.1 A licence to provide full times private health service through any permitted health facility may be granted to :

1. any Seychellois with medical or dental qualification registered with the Seychelles Medical and Dental Council (SMDC) and with a minimum of three years experience in the public or private health sector, locally or abroad.
2. a qualified and where applicable registered nurse, pharmacist,optometrist,optician,laboratory technologist,radiographer,physiotherapist and any other allied health care professional with a minimum of three years post qualification experience.
3. Expatriate Health Care Professionals under special circumstances (see 1.7)

1.2 The decision of the Ministry of Health will be conveyed to the Seychelles Licensing Authority(SLA)

1.3a Those without the three years experience following qualification cannot apply for a licence for private practice on their own, but can join any existing private practice

1.3b Such recruited medical, dental, nursing or paramedical staff will work under the licence granted to the recruiting private health institution and will not require a separate licence

1.4  A Seychellois granted a licence to operate a private health facility will be allowed to recruit medical or paramedical personnel such as nurses, radiographer, etc.., from abroad or locally, subject to their registrability, where applicable

1.5 No medical, dental, nursing or paramedical staff working within Government service will be permitted to work in the private health sector

1.6 Local Companies which wish to employ their own health professionals, must adhere to the minimum required standards as given in these Regulations. Such Companies or Parastatals are required to apply to the MOH through the Commissioner of Health Services (CHS) or equivalent, for approval to operate their own health facility

1.7 Applications received from expatriates wishing to invest in setting up diagnostic services/hospitals will be considered individual on their own merits by the Ministry of Health (MOH).prior to approving and recommending to the SLA to grant a licence

2. The Facility

2.1 Approval will be granted to provide private health care through any of the following health care facilities

1. Clinic/Dental Surgery/Health Centre
2. Polyclinic
3. Medical Nursing Home
4. Social Nursing Home
5. Hospital (General or Specialist)
6. Diagnostic Centres
7. Any other Government approved facility

2.2 Any of the above facilities may be permitted to have satellite clinics as an extension. Mobile clinics or services perse will not be permitted, but a practitioner may provide a mobile service as long as he/she has a base clinic

2.3 All health care facilities are to conform to the minimum standards established by the MOH with regards to structural, functional and staffing requirements.  Applicants will be informed by the MOH of the stipulated minimum acceptable requirements before approval is granted to operate the service applied for.  Guidelines of the minimum structural and functional requirements for clinic,dental surgery and laboratory services are given in the annex

2.4 There will be no limitation on the geographical location of any health care facility

2.5 The minimum staffing requirements for a medical or dental practitioner’s clinic will be:

1. A registered nurse and
2. Record clerk/Receptionist/Nursing assistant or dental assistant

3. Quality of Care

3.1 In line with the policy of the MOH, quality of care will be linked to programmes related to processes and outcomes of care as they are developed by the Quality Assurance Unit

3.2a An inspectorate would be set up by the MOH to monitor the quality of care in the public and private health sector

3.2b The inspectorate will consist of The Commissioner of Health Services, The Director General DPC, The Medical Officer of Health, The Director of Nursing and any others coopted by the CHS

3.3 The inspectorate may visit and inspect the premises of a practitioner at a mutually agreed time

3.4 Fitness to practice will be determined by the appropriate council following necessary investigations

3.5 The inspectorate shall report to the Licensing Authority and the MOH for appropriate action if there is gross or repeated violations of the minimum established standards

3.6 The private health sector is to collaborate with the Medical Audit Unit of the MOH in any medical audit to be carried out from time to time subject to the confidentiality of their patients

3.7 Only disposable syringes and needles are to be used in the Private Sector

3.8 Disposing of Medical Waste is to be done under arrangements with MOH

3.9 When patients referred by Private Institutions are discharged from the Victoria Hospital, the discharge summary will be sent to both the Private Practitioner and the patient’s doctor at the District Health Centre

4. Quantity of Care

4.1 All health care activities undertaken in the public health sector can also be carried out by the private health sector subject to the MOH being satisfied that the private health sector can meet the required standards stipulated for that particular service. For the time being EPI immunisations will be confined to the Ministry of Health

4.2 Services for Termination of Pregnancy (TOP) however, will continue to be limited to Victoria Hospital for cases approved by the Board for TOP, as statutorily required

4.3 The private health sector can order medicines for their practice outside the MOH’s own national formulary. However the medicines they import should be those from the national formulary of the country of import.  The list of countries whose national formulary would be acceptable would be decided by the national regulatory body for drugs

4.4 The private health sector cannot import controlled drugs directly, but is permitted to purchase these from the MOH. Accurate records are to be maintained by the private sector for all dangerous drugs and when called upon, it should be able to provide all records including the name of patients to whom dangerous drugs are administered

4.5 A private practitioner may send a patient to collect a prescription at the MOH’s dispensaries and the patient will pay the charges for the prescription

4.6 Private pharmacies may import but dispense only on prescription of a registered Practitioner any drugs not meant for sale over the counter

4.7 The private practitioner will have access for government diagnostic and other support services such as laboratory, radiology, etc. Fees for such services will be charged to the practitioner and not the patient

4.8 The MOH may purchase services from the private health sector where necessary

4.9 The private practitioner shall undertake to carry out the following:

1. provide access to the CHS or his agent of notes or information relating to his or her patient with the consent of the concerned patient or his or her guardian
2. notification not later than one week, to the Statutory Medical Officer of Health, of communicable diseases including sexually transmitted diseases
3. notification of all health statistics to the MOH , once a month
4. the maintenance of good clinical notes and records and an updated register of controlled drugs
5. the use of the practitioner’s own headed stationary for requests for MOH services such as x-rays, laboratory and the issuing of pharmaceutical prescriptions

4.10 Any private practitioner wishing to make complaints about another practitioner, whether in public or private practice, on matters relating to patient care, professional conduct or performance, shall direct the complaints to the CHS or the SMDC

4.11 In the performance of his duties, the CHS or equivalent may delegate to other senior professionals any of the tasks outlined above, consult any individual or professional body and establish any working group or committee to advise and assist him

4.12 Private practitioners will regulate their own fees for the services they provide in the private health sector

License Condition

To comply  with the licences (health services) regulations 1996

This licence permits you to provide Physiotherapist services;

To display this licence at a conspicuous place on the business premises specified in the licence. 

‘’Once issued, licence fee is non-refundable’’.

Where there is a change of health professional to provide any such services the authority should be informed in advance and provided with the qualifications and experience of the professional who is to provide services.

Clinical waste should be sorted out or transported by the licence holder or his or her staff for disposal at the victoria hospital as per letter/guidance from the commissioner of health services. 

Should there be any change of location of operation, the Seychelles Licensing Authority should be informed accordingly.