Article 1 of the Saudi Healthcare Professions Practice Law
المادة 1 من نظام مزاولة المهن الصحية
The article defines the Law's key terms: the healthcare practitioner and the professions covered, and the Minister, the Ministry and the Authority.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يقصد بالكلمات والعبارات الآتية أينما وردت في هذا النظام المعاني الموضحة أمامها ما لم يقتض السياق خلاف ذلك :
الممارس الصحي : كل من يرخص له بمزاولة المهن الصحية التي تشمل الفئات الآتية: الأطباء البشريين، وأطباء الأسنان، والصيادلة الأخصائيين، والفنيين الصحيين في (الأشعة، والتمريض، والتخدير، والمختبر، والصيدلية، والبصريات، والوبائيات، والأطراف الصناعية، والعلاج الطبيعي، ورعاية الأسنان وتركيبها، والتصوير الطبقي، والعلاج النووي، وأجهزة الليزر، والعمليات)، والأخصائيين النفسيين والاجتماعيين وأخصائيي التغذية والصحة العامة، والقبالة، والإسعاف، ومعالجة النطق والسمع، والتأهيل الحرفي، والعلاج الحرفي، والفيزياء الطبية، وغير ذلك من المهن الصحية الأخرى التي يتم الاتفاق عليها بين وزيري الصحة والخدمة المدنية والهيئة السعودية للتخصصات الصحية.
الوزير : وزير الصحة.
الوزارة : وزارة الصحة .
الهيئة : الهيئة السعودية للتخصصات الصحية.
This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers
Article 1 explained in plain English
This article is the definitions article. It fixes the meaning of words that recur throughout the Law, and the other articles are read in light of it unless the context requires another meaning.
A healthcare practitioner is anyone licensed to practice the healthcare professions. These professions cover wide categories, including:
- Human physicians, dentists, and specialist pharmacists.
- Health technicians in fields such as radiology, nursing, anesthesia, laboratory, pharmacy, optics, physical therapy, operating rooms and others the text mentions.
- Psychologists, social workers, nutrition and public health specialists, midwifery, paramedics, speech and hearing therapy, medical physics and others.
The list is not closed. It also includes other healthcare professions agreed between the Ministers of Health and Civil Service and the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties.
Note that the definition ties the status of healthcare practitioner to licensing, which connects to Article 2. That article prohibits practicing any healthcare profession without a license from the Ministry and sets the conditions for the license.
The article also provides that the Minister is the Minister of Health, the Ministry is the Ministry of Health, and the Authority is the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties. Wherever these words appear in the Law, these bodies are meant.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
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Frequently asked questions about Article 1 of the Saudi Healthcare Professions Practice Law
Who is a healthcare practitioner under Saudi law?
Anyone licensed to practice one of the healthcare professions listed in the article, such as physicians, dentists, specialist pharmacists, health technicians and others.
Are the healthcare professions limited to those listed in the article?
No. The text adds other healthcare professions agreed between the Ministers of Health and Civil Service and the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties.
What does the Authority mean in the Healthcare Professions Practice Law?
It means the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties, as this article provides.
More articles on Licensing the Practice of Healthcare Professions
- Article 2
The article prohibits practicing any healthcare profession without a license from the Ministry of Health, sets the licensing conditions, and treats government appointment as a license once registered with the Authority.
أ - يحظر ممارسة أي مهنة صحية، إلا بعد الحصول على ترخيص بذلك من الوزارة. ب - يشترط للترخيص بمزاولة المهن الصحية ما يأتي : 1 - الحصول على المؤهل المطلوب للمهنة من
- Article 3
The article refers the license period and the rules for visiting physicians to the Implementing Regulations, and requires license renewal for anyone who stopped practicing for two consecutive years other than for study and training.
1- تكون مدة الترخيص بمزاولة المهن الصحية وفقًا لما تحدده اللائحة التنفيذية لهذا النظام، ولا يجوز لمن انقطع عن مزاولة المهنة مدة سنتين متتاليتين - لغير أغراض الد
- Article 4
The article allows the Minister of Health, based on the public interest, to restrict licensing for one of the healthcare professions to Saudis only.
يجوز بقرار من الوزير- بناء على مقتضيات المصلحة العامة- قصر منح الترخيص بمزاولة إحدى المهن المنصوص عليها في هذا النظام على السعوديين دون غيرهم.
The texts are reproduced from the official website of the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers for reference; where they differ, the officially published Arabic text prevails. This content is not legal advice.