Brussels, 27/09/2011 (Agence Europe) - The NHS (National Health Service) in the United Kingdom has called on the European Union to strengthen checks on healthcare workers moving between EU countries. “Freedom of movement for workers must not be at the expense of the safety and quality of care”, the NHS says in a press release published on Monday 26 September.
The European Commission is currently planning to review the directive on professional qualifications with the aim of making it easier for workers to move from one country to another. It is planning to put in place a “European professional card” which will speed up recognition of professional qualifications between EU member states.
The NHS rejects this proposal and calls for the revised directive to make an exception for healthcare workers. It wants UK regulatory bodies to continue to have responsibility for assessing the skills of healthcare workers who wish to work in the United Kingdom, the press release says. (DD/train/transl.rt)