Article 38 of the Saudi Healthcare Professions Practice Law
المادة 38 من نظام مزاولة المهن الصحية
The article makes violations arising from applying the Law, apart from the Health Sharia Authority's jurisdictions, a matter for committees formed by the Minister, and allows a grievance before the Board of Grievances within sixty days.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
فيما عدا الاختصاصات المنصوص عليها ( للهيئة الصحية الشرعية)، تنظر المخالفات الناشئة عن تطبيق هذا النظام- لجان تشكل بقرار من الوزير المختص، ويراعى في تشكيل هذه اللجان أن يكون من أعضائها أحد المختصين بالأنظمة، وأحد المختصين بالمهنة الصحية من السعوديين، ويعتمد الوزير المختص قرارات اللجان، ويجوز التظلم من قرارات هذه اللجان أمام ديوان المظالم خلال ستين يومًا من تاريخ إبلاغها.
وتحدد اللائحة التنفيذية إجراءات عمل هذه اللجان.
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 38 explained in plain English
This article regulates the body that hears the Law's remaining violations. The Law gave the Health Sharia Authority specific jurisdictions, and violations arising from applying the Law other than those are heard by committees under this article.
Forming the committees:
- They are formed by decision of the competent Minister.
- Their members must include one specialist in laws.
- And one specialist in the healthcare profession who is a Saudi.
Their decisions: The competent Minister approves the decisions of these committees.
Grievance: A grievance may be filed against their decisions before the Board of Grievances within sixty days of the date of notifying them.
Working procedures: These are set by the Implementing Regulations, and the Law did not state them.
The practical difference is that professional error cases within the Health Sharia Authority's jurisdiction are brought before it, while other violations are heard by these committees.
It is preceded by Article 37 on not hearing a public-right claim after one year from knowledge of the professional healthcare error, and is followed by Article 39, which allows the Minister to order the temporary suspension of a practitioner when there is evidence and indications of a violation whose penalty, if proven, would be cancellation of the license. Anyone against whom one of these committees issued a decision may consult a lawyer specialized in healthcare practice and medical malpractice cases.
Practical example
A violations committee issued a decision against a medical complex in Al-Kharj because of a violation of the Law's provisions unrelated to a medical error, the Minister approved it, and the complex was notified of it. If the complex wants to file a grievance, it has sixty days from the date of notification to file a grievance before the Board of Grievances.
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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Dr. Ali Al-Rubaie Law Office and Ittihad Al-Asr Legal Company
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Frequently asked questions about Article 38 of the Saudi Healthcare Professions Practice Law
Who hears violations of the Healthcare Professions Practice Law?
Apart from the Health Sharia Authority's jurisdictions, committees formed by decision of the competent Minister hear them.
How do I file a grievance against a violations committee decision?
A grievance may be filed against its decisions before the Board of Grievances within sixty days of the date of notifying them.
Who are the members of the violations committees?
Their members must include one specialist in laws and one specialist in the healthcare profession who is a Saudi.
More articles on Disciplining the Healthcare Practitioner
- Article 31
The article makes the healthcare practitioner subject to disciplinary accountability if they breach their duties under the Law, violate the principles of their profession, or act contrary to its requirements or ethics, without prejudice to criminal or civil liability.
مع عدم الإخلال بأحكام المسؤولية الجزائية أو المدنية، يكون الممارس الصحي محلًّا للمساءلة التأديبية إذا أخل بأحد واجباته المنصوص عليها في هذا النظام، أو خالف أصول
- Article 32
The article sets the disciplinary penalties: a warning, a fine not exceeding SAR 10,000, and cancellation of the license and removal of the name; a new license may not be applied for until two years after cancellation.
العقوبات التأديبية التي يجوز توقيعها في حالة المخالفات المهنية هي : 1 - الإنذار. 2 - غرامة مالية لا تتجاوز عشرة آلاف ريال. 3 - إلغاء الترخيص بمزاولة المهنة الصح
- Article 39
The article allows the Minister to order the temporary suspension of a practitioner when there are evidence and indications of a violation punishable by license cancellation, while ensuring patient care, and allows a grievance before the Board of Grievances within thirty days.
للوزير أن يأمر بالإيقاف المؤقت عن مزاولة المهنة الصحية، وللمدة التي يراها مناسبة، في حق أي ممارس صحي مرخص له، وذلك عند وجود أدلة و قرائن دالة على مخالفة تكون عق
- Article 40
The article refers to the Implementing Regulations the rules and procedures needed to hear violations and cases arising from applying the Law, and the ways of deciding them.
تحدد اللائحة التنفيذية القواعد والإجراءات اللازمة للنظر في المخالفات والقضايا الناشئة عن تطبيق هذا النظام وطرق البت فيها.
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.