Press release
Minister for Health removes barriers for non-EEA doctors
From Department of Health
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Health
Published on
Last updated on
Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly TD has removed barriers to accessing postgraduate training for non-EEA qualified doctors.
Minister Donnelly has signed an order commencing Sections 97 and 100 of the Regulated Professions (Health and Social Care) (Amendment) Act 2020.
These sections amend the Medical Practitioners Act 2007 and remove a requirement that doctors who qualified in a non-EEA country and who wish to commence postgraduate medical training in Ireland, must have completed an internship deemed the equivalent of that completed in Ireland. At present internships from just six non-EEA countries (Australia, New Zealand, Sudan, Malaysia, Pakistan and South Africa) are deemed equivalent.
Welcoming the change, Minister Donnelly said:
“Ireland’s health service has, for many years, been supported by highly skilled and caring doctors from across the world. Until now, many of those doctors who trained outside the EEA have been ineligible to apply for specialist training in this country. I appreciate that this has been very frustrating for them as they sought to build their lives and careers here. I am pleased that this barrier has now been removed and I know that this step will be welcomed by all of those in the medical profession.”
ENDS
Doctors wishing to access specialist training are required to satisfy the requirements for registration in the Trainee Specialist Division, including having the relevant qualifications, having the appropriate language skills to practise medicine in the State, and meeting any other rules that may apply. In addition, doctors seeking registration in this Division are required to hold a training post approved by the Medical Council for specialist training. They are also subject to the normal recruitment practices and relevant employment regulations.
The removal of the requirement for non-EEA doctors to have certificate of experience equivalency will have no negative impacts on the standards required to be registered as a doctor. It facilitates doctors who already meet these standards to pursue further training. Non-EEA trained doctors who will become eligible to apply for registration on the Trainee Specialist Division under this provision must already be eligible for registration on the General Division of the Medical Council’s register.
Registration on the General Division requires non-EEA doctors to have passed the Council Pre Registration Examination (PRES), or be exempt from sitting the PRES because they hold a higher qualification. The appropriate checks and balances are already in place to ensure that only those doctors who are already qualified to the standard required by the Medical Council will be eligible to apply for registration on the Trainee Specialist Division and thereby also apply for training places.
Removal of the requirement for a cert of experience is taking place in the context of wider amendments being made by the Regulated Professions (Health and Social Care) (Amendment) Act 2020 to all five health professional regulatory acts (Medical Practitioners Act, Nurses and Midwives Act, Dentists Act, Health and Social Care Professionals Act and the Pharmacy Act).
The change is being made as it recognised that these doctors, who are already working in large numbers in Ireland under their registration on the General Division are precluded from applying despite having suitable skills, experience and competence. In the longer term therefore it will support the retention of highly skilled doctors within the Irish health system.