Introduction
Health legislation is the set of all legal norms and regulative documents that control the various relations of the health care system. This topic covers its functions and principles, the Health Act, the national health care system and its management, patients' rights and obligations, palliative care, emergency aid, and the health protection activities regulated by the Act.
Health legislation
- Functions: organisational and protective (of patients, hospital attendants, etc.).
- Principles: right to medical help; right to personal freedom and to take decisions; respect of human dignity.
- The Ministry of Health is responsible for national health policy and the overall organisation and functioning of the health system, and coordinates with all ministries relevant to public health.
Health Act
The protection of citizens' health (complete physical, mental and social welfare) is a national priority, provided by the state by applying these principles:
- equality in using health services;
- accessible and qualitative health care, with priority for children, pregnant women and mothers of children under 1 year;
- health promotion and integrated prophylaxis of diseases;
- preventing and reducing the risk of disease due to unfavourable factors in the living environment;
- special health protection of children, pregnant women and mothers of children up to 1 year, handicapped and mentally disordered persons;
- state participation in financing activities aimed at preserving citizens' health.
The Act covers: accessibility and quality of medical care; rights and obligations of patients; medical care in emergency; medical protection of specific groups of the population; mental health.
- The state health policy is managed and implemented by the Council of Ministers.
- The Council of Ministers, at a proposal of the Minister of Health, approves the National Health Strategy, which is adopted by the National Assembly; it also adopts the national health programmes.
- The National Health Strategy and national health programmes are based on an assessment of the health status and health needs of citizens, the health demographic tendencies and the resource capacity of the national health care system.
The national health care system includes
- medical establishments under the Law for medical establishments;
- health care establishments under this law and the Law for medicines and pharmacies in human medicine;
- state, municipal and public bodies and institutions for organisation, management and control of activities related to preservation and strengthening of health.
Management of the national health care system
- Minister of Health
- Supreme Medical Council
- Regional Health Care Inspectorates
- Health care service at the municipal administration