NMC glossary · What the notice covers
Hospital / Medical Institution: What It Means Under The NMC Rules
Also searched as: Hospital, Clinical establishment, Medical institution
The notice defines a hospital or medical institution as a clinical establishment that treats patients as in-patients or out-patients, in any recognised system of medicine. Such bodies may publish factual, verifiable information but not solicit or claim superiority.
Updated 7 November 2026. Reviewed by Tamojit Lodh, Founder of Medmatis. Built around the NMC's Public Notice No. R-13014/01/2024-Ethics of 6 October 2026. Not legal advice.
Key facts, with sources
Hide the 4 key facts and their sourcesShow the 4 key facts and their sources
| Fact | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Term | Hospital / Medical Institution (also searched as Hospital, Clinical establishment, Medical institution) | Medmatis |
| In the notice | Defined by the notice itself. | NMC notice of 6 Oct 2026, cl. 3.4, cl. 4.3, cl. 8.3, cl. 9.1 |
| Applies to | Hospitals and medical institutions (clinical establishments) | NMC notice of 6 Oct 2026 |
| In force | From 6 October 2026, with immediate effect. The NMC may issue clarifications and advisories (cl. 12). | NMC notice of 6 Oct 2026 |
In plain words
Clause 3.4 covers a clinical establishment where patients may be admitted and treated, or treated as out-patients, and includes institutions covered by the Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2010 or an applicable state Act. For these bodies the permitted lane is factual information: name, location, contact details, departments, facilities, equipment, services, emergency services, accreditation and charges (cl. 8.3, 9.1).
Where the notice and the Clinical Establishments Act or state Act irreconcilably conflict, that Act prevails (cl. 4.3). Penalties for a hospital run through that Act, not through the doctor-discipline ladder in clause 10.1.
What it does not mean
- It does not settle whether a small clinic or single-doctor practice is a “clinical establishment”. The definition speaks of out-patient treatment, which suggests it may be, but that depends on the Act that applies; ask a medical-law adviser.
- It does not let a hospital promote an individual doctor. Clause 8.3 (ii) bars “promotional portrayal of an individual RMP”.
The notice’s own words
Quoted from the NMC notice of 6 October 2026. Check the clause number against the original.
cl. 3.4"Hospital/Medical Institution" means a clinical establishment providing facilities and services for the diagnosis, treatment or care of illness, injury, deformity, abnormality or pregnancy, where patients may be admitted and treated as in-patients or treated as out-patients, in any recognised system of medicine, and includes an institution covered under Section 2(c)(i) of the Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2010/ any other State Act as applicable.
cl. 4.3For Hospitals/ Medical Institutions, these guidelines shall be read in conjunction with the applicable Clinical Establishment Act or Rules framed thereunder/ any other State Act as applicable and in case of any irreconcilable conflict between the two, the provisions of the applicable Clinical Establishment Act or Rules framed thereunder/ any other State Act as applicable shall override the provisions of these Guidelines.
cl. 8.3Hospital/Medical Institution Advertising.
cl. 9.1Clinical Establishments may advertise only factual information, where it is limited to objective and verifiable particulars concerning the establishment, including the name of the establishment, contact details, departments functioning, diagnostic facilities, emergency services, accreditation status, other facilities offered and applicable fees. A hospital website containing a directory of its doctors, containing the names, recognised qualifications, specialties, registration details and availability of its doctors, that serves a patient-information function; shall be regarded materially distinct from a paid or promotional advertise…
Our plain-language guide to the whole notice → Check your own text against these rules →
Frequently asked questions
Is my clinic a hospital or medical institution under the notice?
The definition covers establishments that treat out-patients as well as in-patients (cl. 3.4). Whether your clinic is a clinical establishment under the Clinical Establishments Act or a state Act is a legal question the notice does not answer; take advice.
What can a hospital put on its website?
Factual, objective and verifiable information: name, location, contact details, departments, facilities, equipment, services, emergency services, accreditation status and charges. A doctor directory with names, qualifications, specialties, registration details and availability counts as patient information (cl. 8.3 i, 9.1).
This entry explains a public notice in plain language and quotes its clause numbers. It is not legal advice. Read the original NMC notice and take advice on your own situation.
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