Kolkata, Jan 23 (IANS): Amid the rush of patients since Monday night, the West Bengal health department has taken a decision to start operations at the outpatient departments in the state-run hospitals earlier than the current schedule, effective from Wednesday.

A notification in this regard has been issued by the state health department on Tuesday, advancing the time from 10 a.m. by an hour to 9 a.m.

The administrative departments in these state-run hospitals will also have to update the state health department on whether all the doctors and healthcare staff are present on duty by 9.15 a.m. on a daily basis.

The health department has appointed a special nodal officer for the purpose, who will oversee the entire matter and to whom the daily updates will have to be sent.

Besides sending the daily abridged attendance report, the administrative departments in the state-run hospitals will also have to send detailed attendance reports to the nodal officer on a weekly basis.

Meanwhile, the health department has also issued a notification amending the rules and criteria for the appointment of director of medical-education in the state.

As per the notification, the applicant for the chair should be in the age bracket of 55 to 64 years and should have a teaching experience in the rank of professor with any medical college and hospital.

The selection committee will have to recommend three names for the post, out of which the health department will pick one.