Decree

Arabic

Issued by Board of Trustees Decision 5/T/2024 dated 25/08/2024

Introduction

Based on article 3(1) of the Law of the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties issued by Royal Decree D/2 dated 6 Safar 1413 [4 August 1992], which stipulates that: “1. The commission consists of honorary members and working members”, based on the tasks of the commission stipulated in article 2 of the law, which include the mandate of the commission over: “7. Evaluating and equating professional health certificates” and “11. Setting the principles and standards for practicing health professions, including the principles of professional ethics”,

based on article 5 of the law, which specifies the responsibilities of the board of trustees of the commission, some of which are: “2. Approving the internal regulation of the commission; determining wages, salaries, incentives, subscription for membership and its renewal, administrative and financial mandates, and employment conditions; and setting the administrative structure of the commission, duties of the members, disciplinary procedures, and other executive and technical matters”, “5. Reviewing the laws and instructions governing health specialties and professions, including those relating to the duties and responsibilities of members of health professions, and submitting recommendations it sees fit to develop those laws and instructions and submitting them to the competent entities”, and “8. Preparing the necessary executive regulations for this law”.

based on the objectives of the Law of the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties aimed at developing professional health performance in the Kingdom,

and the board being cognizant of the importance of developing and updating the legal frameworks for the principles and standards for practicing health professions, evaluating and equating professional health certificates, and obtaining membership in the commission by health practitioners,

the board of trustees of the commission hereby issues the Membership Regulation of the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties.

Chapter One
Definitions and General Provisions

Article 1
Definitions

The following words and phrases—wherever they appear in this regulation—have the meanings assigned to each of them, unless the context requires otherwise:

Commission:
The Saudi Commission for Health Specialties.

Law:
The Law of the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties.

Regulation:
The Membership Regulation of the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties.

Standards:
The standards for practicing health specialty professions and their disciplines.

Procedural guides:
Practical guides for processing applications relating to classification, registration, and membership granting procedures and related services.

Board:
The board of trustees of the commission.

Secretary-general:
The secretary-general of the commission.

Specialized councils and committees:
Specialized advisory councils and committees formed based on this regulation.

Health practitioner:
Whoever is permitted to be licensed to practice a health profession.

Working member:
A health practitioner who holds a working membership in the commission.

Classification:
Determining the appropriate specialty or discipline for the applicant based on a number of procedures that include verification, professional equivalency, and professional evaluation.

Profession group:
A comprehensive group of professions that share a professional path concerned with providing tasks under a single scientific umbrella, such as the group of medical and surgical professions, dental professions, podiatric medicine and treatment professions, pharmacy professions, nursing and midwifery professions, rehabilitation and therapy disciplines professions, diagnostic technology disciplines professions, or other profession groups approved by the commission.

Specialty:
The professional category of a health practitioner who practices within a specific professional scope of practice, such as a medical doctor, dentist, podiatrist, pharmacist, nurse, medical laboratory specialist, optician, psychiatrist, and podiatry treatment specialist.

Discipline:
A branch of a specialty that includes the main discipline, the specialization, and its branches.

Health qualification:
An official approval by the relevant national authorities of the successful completion of an educational program in the field of health, awarded upon completion of the learning objectives of the program.

Health academic degree:
A degree awarded upon obtaining a health qualification at ISCED 6 or ISCED 7 level in one of the specialties or disciplines that the commission professionally equates, such as a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent, a master’s degree or its equivalent, and a doctorate or its equivalent. It is called a first degree if it does not require previous successful completion of any degree at ISCED 6 or ISCED 7 level to enter the relevant educational program, and it is called second degree if it requires previous successful completion of any degree at ISCED 6 or ISCED 7 level to enter the relevant educational program, such as a master’s degree or its equivalent and a doctorate or its equivalent.

New health qualification:
A health qualification that has not been previously professionally equated by the commission.

Health program:
A consistent or sequential set of educational experiences and activities designed and organized to achieve predetermined learning outcomes or to complete a specific set of educational tasks extending over a sustained period of time, and the successful completion of which results in classification in one of the health specialties or disciplines approved by the commission.

Professional equivalency:
Evaluating the health qualification from all its technical aspects in comparison with the educational ladder applied in the Kingdom, in a manner that aligns with the standards for practicing health specialty professions and their disciplines.

Experience:
The period of professional practice considered in any field of specialty.

Verification:
Ascertaining and certifying the validity of documents, papers, and experiences submitted to or issued by the commission.

Professional assessment:
A statement of the value result of the knowledge or skill of a health practitioner using a measuring tool such as a test or others.

Professional evaluation:
Determining the extent to which a health practitioner has achieved professional competencies, and includes professional assessment using one of its tools.

Registration:
The process of making a record in a register of the commission, whether in its general or subsidiary registers, including the inclusion in a joint register.

Membership:
Working or honorary commission membership.

Register:
Any register created in accordance with the provisions of this regulation.

Working membership cancellation:
Deleting the name of a working member from the registers of the commission.

Working membership suspension:
Temporarily suspending working membership.

Article 2
Objectives

This regulation aims to clarify the provisions for classifying, registering, and granting membership.

Article 3
Scope of Application of the Regulation

The provisions of this regulation apply to all applications for classifying, registering, and granting membership.

Article 4
Submission of Applications

Without prejudice to the provisions of this regulation, applications must be submitted in accordance with the procedural guides.

Article 5
Issuance of Decisions

Decisions relating to classifying, registering, and granting working membership must be issued by the organizational unit specified in the organizational structure of the commission.

Chapter Two
General Rules for Classification

Article 6
Conditions for Classification

1․ The standards must determine the classification conditions for each specialty and its sub-disciplines or the inter-disciplines in accordance with the provisions of this regulation.

2․ Taking into account the registration conditions stipulated in article 21 of this regulation, it is permitted to obtain classification in more than one specialty or discipline at the same time.

Article 7
Lists of Specialties and Disciplines

1․ The commission shall prepare lists of approved specialties and disciplines and publish them through its official channels.

2․ The commission shall when updating the lists referred to in paragraph 1 of this article—depending on the changes made—publish these updates through its official channels.

Article 8
Rejection of Classification Applications

The commission may, by a reasoned decision, reject classification applications in accordance with the provisions of this regulation, based on one of the following reasons:

1․ Failure to meet the classification conditions within the specified legal period.

2․ Recommendation by the specialized councils and committees to reject the submitted qualifications and experiences.

3․ Ban from the tests of the commission in accordance with the General Assessment Regulation.

4․ Any other reasons specified by the decisions by the board, the standards, or the procedural guides.

Chapter Three
Health Qualifications

Article 9
Review of Health Qualifications and Their Equivalency

1․ The commission shall determine the standards for recognizing health qualifications and equating them professionally in accordance with the framework of professional competencies approved by the commission.

2․ The commission shall review health qualifications and equate them in accordance with the provisions of this regulation.

3․ The commission shall accept educational or training health programs, provided that the programs are offered in training centers accredited by the commission or accredited by another entity recognised by the commission, and that these programs provide training that achieves the minimum level of professional competencies achieved by the programs of the commission or national programs equated by the commission.

4․ The commission shall review the qualifications that have been recognized and equated periodically. It may reconsider if the commission becomes aware of something that prompts it to cancel the recognition and equivalency of the qualification, such as a major change in the curriculum or training programs, and this does not affect health practitioners previously registered based on those qualifications before the commission issues a cancellation decision.

5․ The commission may recognize and equate qualifications that were previously rejected if the commission finds that the curriculum or programs covers matters that make them compatible with the standards of the commission, or if there is an amendment to the standards that allows the recognition and equivalency of those qualifications.

6․ The standards must determine the types of unrecognized qualifications.

7․ The procedural guides must determine the procedures for reviewing, recognizing, and equating health qualifications.

Article 10
Date of Obtaining the Qualification

1․ The date of official approval by the authority governing the issuance of a health qualification, such as a university, educational or training institution, the commission, or a council awarding the certificate, is the actual date of obtaining the qualification.

2․ As an exception of paragraph 1 of this article, it is permitted to accept and rely upon letters of completion of educational or academic requirements, in accordance with the controls determined by the procedural guides based on the standards.

Article 11
Lists of Recognized Health Qualifications

1․ The commission shall prepare lists of the health qualifications it recognizes and publish them through its official channels.

2․ The commission shall when updating the lists referred to in paragraph 1 of this article—depending on the changes made—publish these updates through its official channels.

Chapter Four
Experience

Article 12
Experience

The conditions for accepting experience must be determined in accordance with the standards.

Article 13
Accepting Experience Instead of Health Qualification

Experience is not a substitute for the requirement of a health qualification for classification, unless it is in accordance with the controls specified by the standards.

Chapter Five
Verification

Article 14
Verification

1․ The commission shall verify the validity of the documents and papers submitted to it through means and mechanisms specified by the procedural guides, and shall certify their validity including the documents and certificates issued by it.

2․ The commission may suffice with the certification of entities recognized by it, and it may assign verification tasks and procedures to specialized entities or companies.

Chapter Six
Professional Evaluation

Article 15
Passing Professional Evaluation

1․ All applicants for classification must pass the professional evaluation.

2․ The commission may suffice with the professional evaluation issued by entities recognized by it for the purpose of registration.

3․ It is not permitted to exempt from paragraph 1 of this article, except in accordance with the standards for exemption from professional evaluation.

Article 16
Professional Re-Evaluation

The commission may re-evaluate a health practitioner to ascertain his professional competencies by a reasoned decision, provided that the reasons include:

1․ Issuance of a final judgment or decision by a competent authority to perform professional re-evaluation of the health practitioner.

2․ Issuance of a final judgement proving that the health practitioner committed medical malpractice for which the commission considers that a professional re-evaluation is required.

3․ Receipt of documented reports to the commission regarding a decline in the level of professional performance of the health practitioner.

Article 17
Professional Evaluation Methods

Taking into account the provisions of the General Assessment Regulation in the commission, the commission shall use any appropriate professional evaluation tool or method to evaluate health practitioners for the purpose of registration. These methods include, but are not limited to: Written tests and practical tests (clinical).

Chapter Seven
Specialized Councils and Committees

Article 18
Specialized Councils and Committees

1․ Without prejudice to the provisions stipulated in the General Regulation of Executive, Scientific, and Professional Councils and Committees of the commission, specialized councils and committees must be formed by a decision of the secretary-general, and the decision forming them must specify their tasks and work mechanism.

2․ The specialized council or specialized committee shall be responsible for reviewing the topics referred by the secretary-general or his delegate, and submitting recommendations regarding them.

3․ The specialized councils and committees shall participate in setting the principles and standards for practicing the health professions within the scope of their work in a manner that ensures the protection and promotion of health, shall recommend the appropriate professional competencies for practicing each health specialty within its scope, and shall review and develop them according to regulatory developments and scientific developments, including the professional standards that must be included in the plans for preparing health programs in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia at all educational levels and continuous educational programs, as well as the standards for evaluating and equating professional health certificates, and shall submit its minutes to the secretary-general for approval. The secretary-general may return the minutes to the council or committee accompanied by his point of view regarding any item he objects to for re-examination.

Chapter Eight
Registration

Article 19
Creation of Registers

The commission shall create the following records:

1․ Professional registers, which are general records for each specialty, such as the doctors register, dentists register, pharmacists register, nurses and midwives register, diagnostic technology specialists register, rehabilitation and therapy specialists register, and other specialties. Sub-registers may be created from the general record to record health practitioners based on their main disciplines or specializations, provided that the health practitioner is recorded in one general register and one sub-register. This does not include determining clinical privileges.

2․ Accredited registers, which are registers for listing health practitioners from various health specialties who share similar fields that are not considered branches of a single main specialty or discipline, such as the field of public health, the field of clinical studies, the field of health education, the field of health research, and other fields that the comission deems appropriate.

3․ Any other registers that the secretary-general decides to create.

Article 20
Determining the Specialty in Registration

It is not permitted to be recorded in more than one professional register at the same time, even if a health practitioner has obtained more than one classification based on his qualifications. It is permitted to be included in more than one accredited register in accordance with the procedural standards and guides.

Article 21
Registration Conditions

1․ That the applicant has obtained a recognized health qualification in one of the health specialties or disciplines.

2․ That he is of good conduct and behavior.

3․ That he has obtained a classification.

4․ Payment of the registration fees.

5․ Any other conditions specified by the commission.

6․ Submitting the required documents in accordance with the procedural guides.

Article 22
Registration Duration and Its Renewal

1․ The procedural guides must determine the registration duration and the mechanism for its renewal.

2․ Without prejudice to the Regulation Governing Continuous Professional Development, the standards must determine the required number of professional development hours to renew registration, whether in professional records or accredited records.

Article 23
Amendment of Registration

A working member may submit an application to amend the registration to be recorded in another specialty register, in accordance with his qualifications classified with the commission, and the conditions must be met in accordance with the provisions of the regulation, standards, and procedural guides.

Chapter Nine
Membership Provisions

Article 24
Types of Membership

Membership in the commission is as follows:

1․ Working membership.

2․ Honorary membership.

Article 25
Membership Duration

Membership duration in the commission is as follows:

1․ Permanent membership: For honorary membership.

2․ Renewable membership: For working membership and its duration is linked to the registration period.

Article 26
Working Membership

Working membership is enjoyed by those whose registration is valid with the commission.

Article 27
Honorary Membership

1․ Honorary membership is enjoyed by those who have provided material, moral, or professional services to the commission or the profession.

2․ An honorary member is exempt from registration and subscription fees.

3․ The board shall set the controls for granting honorary membership.

4․ Honorary membership must be granted by a decision by the board.

5․ Honorary membership ends upon death, and is terminated if the honorary member engages in an act or activity that results in material or moral harm to the commission or that damages the reputation of the health professions.

Article 28
Student Affiliation and Registration

1․ It is permitted to register students of health programs in universities and colleges who submit an application for affiliation.

2․ The secretary-general shall determine the conditions for accepting student applications for affiliation and registration.

Article 29
Rights and Benefits of Members

A member enjoys—including but not be limited to—the following rights and benefits:

1․ The right to nominate himself for the councils and committees of the commission in accordance with the controls determined by the commission.

2․ Benefiting from the services provided by the commission, such as attending courses and seminars.

3․ Obtaining discounts, offers, and other membership benefits provided by the commission to its members.

Article 30
Duties of Working Members

A working member shall adhere to the following:

1․ The Code of Ethics for Health Practitioners issued by the commission.

2․ The requirements of continuous professional development.

3․ The duties specified in the regulations of the commission.

4․ Duties specified in the Law of Practicing Health Professions, and other related laws, regulations, and codes.

Chapter Ten
Committee for Violations of Working Members

Article 31
Formation of a Committee for Reviewing Violations of Working Members

1․ A committee must be formed by a decision by the secretary-general for reviewing violations of working members.

2․ The mechanism for holding committee meetings and issuing recommendations, the number of committee members, its chairman and deputy chairman, and the term of its membership must be determined in the decision referred to in paragraph 1 of this article, provided that the committee members include two independent legal advisors, and two representatives of the executive department of legal affairs one of whom must be the chairman and the other the secretary of the committee.

Article 32
Mandates of the Committee for Reviewing Violations of Working Members

The committee for reviewing violations of working members has the mandate for reviewing the following cases:

1․ Submitting dubious certificates or experiences to obtain classification or registration or to renew it.

2․ Providing data or information that is not true, or using illegal methods that result in the applicant being granted classification or registration.

3․ A request from a competent government entity to suspend or cancel the registration, provided that this request is based on reasons relating to professional competence, professional conduct, or patient safety, with proof of this being provided.

4․ Issuance of a final judgment proving that the working member has committed a crime that violates honor or integrity.

5․ Issuance of a final judgment or decision by a competent entity to cancel the license to practice the health profession in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

6․ Proof that the working member has violated the ethics of health professions.

7․ Matters referred by any committee that has the mandate to review violations, inside or outside the commission.

8․ Classification and registration decisions that violate the provisions of this regulation.

9․ Failure of a working member to adhere to the professional re-evaluation procedures.

10․ Any other violation of the provisions of this regulation and the standards.

Article 33
Recommendations of the Committee for Reviewing Violations of Working Members

The committee for reviewing violations of working members may make the following recommendations:

1․ Canceling the classification decision.

2․ Referring to professional evaluation.

3․ Suspending working membership for a period not exceeding one year.

4․ Canceling working membership.

Article 34
Adoption of Committee Recommendations

1․ Without prejudice to the provisions of paragraph 2 of this article, the committee for reviewing violations of working members shall submit its recommendations to the secretary-general for adoption, and the recommendations are not effective until they are adopted. The secretary-general may return the minutes to the committee, accompanied by his point of view regarding any item he objects to for re-examination, and he may temporarily suspend the membership of the health practitioner for the entire period of review of his violation if the interest requires this, for a period not exceeding three months, renewable once by a decision by the committee.

2․ The recommendation of the committee for reviewing violations of working members to cancel working membership must be submitted after its adoption by the secretary-general to the board for approval.

Article 35
Proportionality Between Committee Recommendations and Violations

The committee for reviewing violations of working members shall take into account the proportionality of the recommendation for the violation proven against an active working member and the extent of its recurrence.

Article 36
Notification of the Decisions of the Committee for Reviewing the Violations of Working Members

The procedural guides must determine the mechanism for notifying the concerned party of the adopted decision issued against him by the committee for reviewing violations of working members.

Chapter Eleven
Final Provisions

Article 37
Grievance Against Decisions

Grievances filed regarding classifying, registering, and granting working membership decisions and decisions of the committee for reviewing violations of working members, must be reviewed in accordance with the provisions of the Procedural Regulation of the Standing Committee for Reviewing Grievances issued by the commission.

Article 38
Fees and Charges for Services

1․ The fees and charges for services and works relating to classifying, registering, and granting memberships must be in accordance with the schedule of fees and charges of this regulation.

2․ The secretary-general shall propose a schedule of fees and charges of this regulation, and shall submit it to the board for adoption.

3․ The service applicant may have the fee and charge for some services refunded, in accordance with the refund policy specified in the procedural guides.

4․ The board shall determine the categories exempt from fees and charges.

Article 39
Provisions for Exemption

The secretary-general, based on the recommendation of the board, committee, or competent organizational unit, may exempt from some of the provisions of this regulation, provided that the exemption is for individual cases and based on acceptable and valid justifications, and must be in the following cases exclusively:

1․ Required experience.

2․ Providing additional professional evaluation opportunities for those who have exhausted the legal attempts.

3․ The charge due for classification and registration services.

4․ Continuous professional development hours required to renew registration.

Article 40
Entry into Force of the Regulation

This regulation must be published in the official gazette, and comes into force 90 days after the date of its publication. This regulation repeals the General Regulation for Professional Classification and Registration issued by board of trustees Decision 3/T/2017 dated 30 May 2017 and its executive rules, as well as the Professional Classification and Registration Guide for Health Practitioners issued in 1435 [2013], all previous classification guides, and all provisions that conflict with it.

Article 41
Issuance of Standards and Procedural Guides

1․ Draft standards must be published on the Istitlaa Platform to obtain the views of the public and members, before their adoption. The standards must be prepared by the competent departments after they are proposed by the specialized councils and committees, and the secretary-general shall adopt them.

2․ Draft procedural guides must be published on the Istitlaa Platform to obtain the views of the public and members, and the secretary general shall issue the procedural guides within 90 days from the date of publication of the regulation in the official gazette, and they come into force from the date of the entry into force of the regulation.

3․ The standards, after their adoption, and the procedural guides, after their issuance, must be published on the website of the commission.

4․ The General Regulation for Professional Classification and Registration issued by board of trustees Decision 3/T/2017 dated 30 May 2017, and its executive rules, continue to apply until this regulation, the standards, and the procedural guides enter into force.

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Published in Umm Al-Qura 5074 issued on 7 March 2025.