The Healthcare Services Bill (the "Bill") was passed on 6 January 2020, replacing the Private Hospitals and Medical Clinics Act ("PHMCA"), which was last amended in 1999. The Bill seeks to strengthen the safeguards for the safety and welfare of patients who receive healthcare services, improve the governance requirements for providers of healthcare services, as well as enhance the regulatory powers in relation to providers of healthcare services.
The Bill will be implemented in three phases from early 2021 to end 2022, with the new provisions first being extended to PHMCA clinical laboratory licensees, followed by clinic licensees and private ambulance operators, and finally hospitals and licensees providing other new services.