Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 13 July 2023
685. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of the fact that it is taking up to seven months for applicants to the ICGP non-EU GP programme to have an initial assessment of documents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34999/23]
View answerI thank the Deputy for his interest in this important topic. The joint HSE and ICGP Non-EU GP Programme is on target to bring up to 100 non-EU GPs to Ireland in 2023 which will help to quickly improve access to GP services, particularly in areas with limited capacity. It is planned to bring up to 250 more non-EU GPs by the end of 2024.
A Doctor wishing to practice medicine in Ireland must register with the Irish Medical Council (IMC). The IMC, which is the statutory agency responsible for the registration and regulation of doctors in Ireland, has advised that the number of applications from doctors for registration has grown significantly in recent years. The year-to-date number of first-time applications for 2022 and 2023 is approximately double that of the previous 5 years. To protect patients, the Council has a responsibility to ensure that all doctors registered in Ireland meet the requirements to practice medicine, as set out in its legislation. The increase in the number of doctors applying for registration has impacted on the turnaround time for processing relevant applications.
As participating doctors in the scheme under reference qualify outside of the EU, they are not entitled to automatic recognition of their qualifications under the EU Directive 2005/36/EC. These doctors must pass or be exempt from the IMC’s pre-registration exam when applying for General registration. Exemptions can be granted to applicants who have undertaken an internship recognised to be the equivalent of an Irish internship (COE route) or who hold a higher qualification recognised for the purpose of granting an exemption. The turnaround time for the COE route has increased markedly as a result of the increase in numbers of doctors applying for registration with the IMC.
The IMC has advised me that it has commenced a process-improvement initiative to identify solutions to reduce the processing time. The Council is undertaking an in-depth analysis of all the applications routes, reviewing application data, current processes and challenges. They are identifying processes related to turnaround times that need to be improved and identifying solutions for implementation in due course.
Importantly, where the Council is made aware an applicant has a job offer either by an employer or by the doctor, every effort is made to expedite the application to minimise any delay in service delivery.
