Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 November 2023
1308. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Health what plans his Department has to create pathways for internationally trained health professionals to return to Ireland to work in the HSE (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48530/23]
View answerAs the Deputy may be aware, CORU is Ireland's multi-profession health regulator with responsibility for regulating health and social care professionals. CORU’s role is to protect the public by regulating the health and social care professions designated under the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 (as amended), including setting the standards that health and social care professionals must meet to be eligible for registration and maintaining registers of persons who meet those standards.
There are two forms of application to CORU; applications for the recognition of qualifications received outside the State and applications for registration. Professional qualifications awarded outside the State are assessed through a process of “recognition” which involves expert assessment of a qualification’s alignment with the standards of proficiency required in Ireland, and assessment of professional experience and lifelong learning where required.
This involves an assessment which is undertaken on a case-by-case basis by academic and professional assessors which seeks to determine the alignment between an applicant’s qualification and the standards of proficiency required for physiotherapists in Ireland. The standards of proficiency are available on the CORU website here: coru.ie/files-recognition/standards-of-proficiency-for-physiotherapists.pdfstandards-of-proficiency-for-physiotherapists.pdf .
If deficiencies in the qualification are identified, an applicant’s post-qualification training and professional work experience will be considered. If deficits remain, an applicant will be offered a choice between compensation measures: a period of adaptation or an aptitude test.
The recognition process is a document-based assessment process where key verified documentation is requested from an applicant and assessed. Proportionality is key in the assessment process to ensure applicants have demonstrated the required learnings to ensure public protection and to become a registered professional in Ireland.
CORU cannot predict outcomes of applications until an application has been received/assessed and reviewed by the Physiotherapist Registration Board, who are the Competent Authority for the profession. This is in accordance with Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 and the EU Directive 2005/36/EC. CORU, through the Registration Board, must be satisfied that the individual applicant has met all the criteria to grant registration. This is to ensure public confidence in registered professions.
Whilst it is not within CORU’s remit to secure adaptation periods for applicants where a requirement for compensation measures has been identified, several measures have been put in place by CORU to assist applicants, including discussions with potential providers of adaptation periods to establish a range of pathways for applicants needing to access placements. CORU is also finalising research work on stakeholders’ responses to, and suggestions for, the process and will be updating procedures to reflect the outcome of that study in the coming months. Video guidance on compensation measures has been developed and will shortly be released to support graduates who qualified outside the State. A new Compensation Measure Manager has also been recently appointed in CORU; this role is intended to provide coordination with potential providers of placements.
My Department is working with the HSE to progress a sustainable framework for clinical placements for health and social care professionals, including an increase in clinical training places and additional clinical placement supports for health and social care professions. Alongside this work, the HSE is working to establish a pathway and process for health and social care professionals to allow candidates who have trained abroad the opportunity to complete a period of adaptation and the compensatory measures required by the regulator.
Students undertaking degree programmes outside of Ireland are advised to seek support from their university in arranging placement hours as part of their undergraduate programme.
