Health Records Officers Registration Board of Nigeria Public Notice on the Appoinment of Non-Professionals to Manage Health Records Department

 

1.  This is tp bring to the notice of the general public especially those that engage the services of Health Records Officers/Technician that the Board is inundated with written and verbal observations by national and international stake holders to the effect that the management of Health Records/Information in the Nation's health care facilities leaves much to be desired. This development is largely attributed to under staffing of health records departments is largely attributed to under staffing of health records departments and/or engagaing persons without the prerequisite qualification(s) to the schedules. Consequently, information emanating from the nation's health care facilities - public and private, has been largely by International Support Agencies, Collaborators, Donors, for the purposes of Health Information Exchange by facilities within the country's boaders, because the bulk of it has been found to be unorganized and/or disjointed therefore unusable or unreliable.

 

2. For the purpose of emphasis, this Board restates that Health Records, as we know it today, includes both electronic and physical information is a regulated profession in Nigeria. To achieve the desired effect, health records has to be '(i) accurate and timely, (ii) specific and organized for a purpost, (iii) presented within a context that gives it meaning and relevance, and (iv) can lead to an increase in understanding and decrease in uncertainty". This makes it imperative that only persons with the necessary education, training, required completency and current practicing license obtained from the Board would be allowed to capture, manage, store share, preserve and deliver information appropriately and responsibly as and when required. No person or individual should be employed or being promoted in to the civil service or any other health records management positions without the mandatory requirement as stated above.

 

 

3.  To ensure that standard expected of the practice is not compromised, the Board is therefor by this correspondence putting up a notice, that is shall pursuant to the power conferred on it by CAP 166 LFN 1990 (formally Decree 39 of 1989) Sub Section 12 (1) of its enabling law which provides that "...no person, not being registered as a health records officer, shall be entitled to hold any appointment in the civil service of the Federation or of a State or in anny public or private establishment, body or institution, if the holding of such appointment involves the performance by him in Nigeria of any act pertaining to te profession," set up a MONITORING AND STANDARD ENFORCEMENT TEAM to visit Health Institutions/bodies, Federal and State estabilshments, public and private health facilities on continual basis to ensure and enforce the expectation that only qualified and licensed Health Records Officers are allowed to work in Health Record Departments. You are therefore taking notice that the Board will not hesitate to take any meaning ful action within law against non-compliance of this guideline. Employers are hereby advice to ensure that personnel employed in Health Records Department are trained Record Officers/Technicians with current licence to practice.

 

The Board solicits your maximum cooperation during the insepection visits. For further enquires please contact 09029806732, 09029806733

 

Signed

Mohammed Ibrahim Mami Rhim FHR

Registrar/CEO