The recommendation that the State Police Chief (SPC) requires a police verification certificate to home nurses appointed through agencies across the state, has stagnated for the past two years.
The government was unable to implement this recommendation, mainly due to differences between the labor and local autonomy sectors. It has been more than a year since the secretary's home transferred the files to the local municipal office for lawsuits. However, it has been learned that the department biased responsibility by saying that the labor department should handle it.
In February 2023, the SPC recommended the government a police verification certificate required for state home nurses in light of increased incidence of criminal cases, particularly thefts.
The SPC's actions were followed by a series of requests from Chandran Chamy, a social worker at Thattamangalam in Palakkad. Most district police chiefs (DPCs) responded to investigations by the police chiefs, stressing the importance of registering and giving identification documents after police verification as part of their efforts to prevent crimes between them.
Illegal activities
R. Viswanath, Palakkad DPC raised concerns in December 2022 that individuals with criminal history could misuse home care as the cover of illegal activities. He proposed the need for a thorough background check and verification process to ensure the safety and security of patients relying on home nursing services.
“The verification process involves verifying the nurse's identity, address and criminal history. This process is important to prevent individuals with criminal history from working as home nurses. This is a profession that plays a key role in the care of seniors and terminally ill patients in the state,” Chaney said.
Having given new memorandums to Prime Minister Pinarai Vijayan and local Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications MB Rajesh, Chami demanded that the government intervene in the matter and end the impasse.
Attingal Mla OS Ambika also raised the issue with the government. However, so far, no action has been taken.
“Hundreds of people are engaged in this noble job of providing critical care to seniors and terminally ill patients at home. They should not undermine the reputation of the entire home nurse community, consisting of hundreds of dedicated caregivers,” Chammy said.
He said issuing identification cards to home nurses after thorough police verification would be a practical solution to address safety and security concerns.
Published – February 28, 2025 08:14 PM IST
