Employment of visually impaired

The Administrative Measures for Blind Medical Massage (hereinafter referred to as Administrative Measures) clearly state that:
Article 1: The Administrative Measures are formulated in accordance with the Law of the People’s Republic of China on the Protection of Disabled Persons with a view to protecting the lawful rights and interests of blind masseurs while regulating their practice of medical massage.
Article 2: Blind medical massage refers to massage conducted by blind persons for the purpose of curing diseases. Blind medical massage pertains to medical treatment and shall be conducted in medical institutions. The blind masseurs are considered medical personnel and shall have ethical and professional qualifications. They shall act in accordance with law and be protected by law.
Article 3: Disabled persons’ federations, human resources and social security departments, health administrative departments, and management departments for traditional Chinese medicine above the county-level are responsible for management of the blind medical massage industry.
Article 4: A blind person who satisfies any one of the following conditions may apply to work as a blind medical masseur if in possession of an approval certificate issued by a municipal disabled persons’ federation:(1) obtained professional technical position qualification of blind medical massage prior to the Administrative Measures issued;(2) obtained a secondary or above vocational degree in medical massage prior to the Administrative Measures, and engaged in blind medical massage work for two or more consecutive years;(3) engaged in blind medical massage in medical institutions for 15 or more years prior to the Administrative Measures issued;(4) engaged in blind medical massage work in medical institutions more than two years but less than 15 years prior to the Administrative Measures issued, and passed the professional blind medical massage examination;(5) obtained a secondary or above vocational degree in medical massage and passed the professional blind medical massage examination.
The blind medical massage examination is organized by the China Disabled Persons’ Federation and implemented by the China Instruction Center of Blind Massage. Blind persons who pass the examination will receive a qualification certificate and junior professional technical position qualification.
Article 5: Blind medical masseurs can apply for opening a massage parlor in conformity with the conditions listed in Article 6.
Article 6: The following conditions shall apply to blind medical massage parlors:
Blind medical massage parlors shall:
(1) be operated by blind masseurs;(2) employ at least one blind medical masseur with more than five years’ experience;(3) have at least one massage couch and supporting necessaries, with a building area no less than 40 square meters;(4) have necessary disinfection facilities;(5) have relevant regulations and blind medical massage standard operation procedures as formulated or approved by the state, in a bound form;(6) have legal liability as independent entities;(7) have obtained approval documents issued by a disabled persons’ federation at the municipal level where the city has districts.
Article 7: Blind medical massage parlors shall be approved by county-level health administration departments. Those qualified will receive a Practicing License of Medical Institution, with a registration name formed by a unique name plus “盲人医疗按摩所(blind medical massage parlor)” and the diagnosis item stated as massage (blind medical massage). Blind medical massage parlors cannot register a diagnosis item other than massage (blind medical massage), and shall have no beds or pharmacy.The term of a blind medical massage parlor’s practicing license is five years.
Article 8: Blind masseurs enjoy the following rights at work:
Blind masseurs have the right to:
(1) participate in technical and experience-based exchanges within professional academic communities;(2) vocational training and continuing education;(3) protect personal dignity and safety at work;(4) have payment;(5) advise on health matters.
Article 9: Blind medical masseurs are subject to the following duties and must:
(1) abide by laws, rules, regulations and related technical operation standards;(2) have professional dedication and ethics;(3) care for and respect patients, and protect patient’s privacy;(4) take vocational training and continuing education to improve their professional level.
Article 10: Blind medical masseurs shall faithfully introduce a plan of massage treatment to patients or their dependents, but shall avoid harming patients.
Article 11: Blind medical masseurs cannot conduct medical treatment, prevention and health care activities other than massage; cannot prescribe medicines; cannot write out medical diagnosis proofs; cannot sign medical proof documents unrelated to medical massage; cannot hide or forge medical documents or related materials, or destroy them without authorization.
Article 12: Blind medical masseurs cannot conduct medical treatment, prevention and health care activities other than massage. People with normal vision cannot conduct medical treatment, prevention and health care activities in blind medical massage parlors.
Article 13: Blind medical masseurs cannot take advantage of their position to ask for or receive illicit fees or income from profiteering.
Article 14: the China Disabled Persons’ Federation is responsible for training programs for blind medical masseurs and ensuring that blind medical masseurs receive training and continuing education in accordance with regulations.
The China Instruction Center of Blind Massage and its branches at provincial, autonomous region and municipality levels is in charge of developing training plans for blind medical masseurs in accordance with the training programs, as well as organizing trainings.
Medical institutions shall provide work and study facilities for their blind medical masseurs, and ensure they have training, continuing education and legal massage work.
Article 15: The medical institution practice licenses of blind medical massage parlors shall be canceled and withdrawn by the original issuing authority if parlors do any of the following:
(1) employ persons with normal vision to conduct medical treatment, prevention and health care activities;(2) conduct medical treatment, prevention and health care activities other than massage;(3) sell, transfer, or lend the practicing license of the medical institution;(4) prescribe medicines;(5) provide beds or a pharmacy in the blind medical massage parlor;(6) allow their medical institution practicing license to expire;(7) violate any conditions set out article 6.
Article 16: No county-level health administrative department shall issue a practicing license of medical institutions to an unqualified blind medical massage parlor or approve it to expand diagnosis items, or provide beds or a pharmacy. If any does so, the practicing license will be withdrawn by the original issuing authority or a higher-level health administrative department.
Article 17: Any violation of the Administrative Regulation of Medical Institutions by a blind medical massage parlor or its employees will be subject to the Administrative Rules of Medical Institutions. Any medical accident will be subject to the Regulation on the Handling of Medical Accidents.
Article 18: The following three professional titles included in the Notice on the Issues about Evaluation of Professional Technical Positions for Blind Medical Massage Practitioners jointly issued by the former Ministry of People Personnel, the former Ministry of Health, the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine and the China Disabled Persons’ Federation are changed: “chief (deputy chief) massotherapist” is changed to “chief (deputy chief) medical masseur”; “massotherapist-in-charge” is changed to “medical masseur-in-charge”; and “massotherapist” is changed to “medical masseur”.
The professional technical position qualification that obtained prior to the Administrative Measures is still valid.
Article 19: “Blind persons” refer to persons who are totally blind or have weak vision as described in the Administrative Measures.
Article 20: The Administrative Measures shall enter into force as of September 1, 2009.