For Immediate Release 24/02/04

The Alliance of UK Health Regulators on Europe (AURE) today called on the Government to ensure that the recruitment of health professionals from new Member States will not be adversely affected by the Government's proposals regarding the migration of workers from the new EU Member States after 1 st May.

AURE members are also concerned that the European Commission has still to confirm whether all of the new Member States are now compliant with the minimum training requirements for doctors, nurses and dentists as set out in EC Directives.

President of the GMC and AURE Member, Sir Graeme Catto said:

“Health and social care professionals from overseas make a significant contribution to patient care in this country. It is imperative that any arrangements currently being considered by the Government do not adversely impact on the recruitment of doctors and other health workers.

“However, we need to ensure that when registering health professionals from the new EU Member States we are able to maintain standards. At present there is uncertainty as to which of the new States have met the EU's minimum training requirements and which have not. We require urgent clarification of the position if we are effectively to protect the public interest.”

Jonathan Asbridge, President of the NMC said:

“While we recognise the valuable contribution that all foreign nurses make to health care in the UK we are concerned we may be forced, by European law, to register practitioners that do not meet our standards. The NMC has a statutory duty to protect the public but we are still waiting for clarification and legal advice on what powers we will have to regulate nurses from the EU Accession countries.

“ At present 90% of applicants from the EU accession countries are rejected when they apply to the register because they do not meet UK nursing standards.”

Madeleine Craggs, Chief Executive & Registrar of the GOsC said:

“Although the system of statutory regulation is well established in the UK, this is not the case in all of the accession States, particularly for the chiropractic, osteopathic and social care professions.

As a consequence, it may be impossible for UK regulators to establish the fitness to practise or current good standing of migrant professionals from those States prior to registering them for practice in the UK.

This not only undermines the effectiveness of UK regulation, but has the potential to place patients and other service users at risk, especially when patients may refer themselves without a having seen a GP first.”

Ends

For further information and interviews with the Alliance spokespeople contact:
Matt Ball , Convenor of AURE, on 020 7344 4750 or mobile 07909 992 807

Notes to editors:

1. The membership of the Alliance (AURE) is: General Medical Council, General Dental Council, General Optical Council, General Osteopathic Council, General Chiropractic Council, Health Professions Council, Nursing and Midwifery Council, Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain, General Social Care Council and the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland.

2. These organisations are statutory bodies that exist to regulate those healthcare professionals who operate in these areas.

3. The EU Directive on Mutual Recognition of Professional Qualifications has not yet been enacted.

4. Further information can be found at www.aure.org.uk