RCN comment on EU Directive on professional qualifications

Published: 19 December 2011

Commenting on the proposal by the European Commission on modernising the Professional Qualifications Directive, Royal College of Nursing (RCN) Chief Executive & General Secretary, Dr Peter Carter, said:

“Nursing is a global profession and individual health professionals have every right to seek recognition and employment in another EU country.   This can bring many benefits to individuals and the health services they work. However, patient safety has to be the top priority for nurses and other healthcare workers.

“The ability to communicate clearly with patients is an essential part of good nursing care. Therefore, the RCN welcomes this proposal which allows for language testing and requires EU regulators to alert each other if a health professional is no longer allowed to practise. Equally, as nurses are now delivering more complex levels of care, we are pleased to see that the education standards proposed take this into account.

“Despite these positives we remain concerned about the lack of requirement to ensure professionals keep their skills up to date. It is surely a risk to patient safety that a nurse who has not worked for a number of years could, in theory, come to the UK from another EU country and register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council. The RCN believes that all healthcare professionals and their employers have a responsibility to ensure their skill level is maintained and that they are suitably trained to deliver high levels of patient care at all times.”

Ends

Notes for Editors

1. For further information, please contact the RCN Media Office on 020 7647 3633, press.office@rcn.org.uk or visit  http://www.rcn.org.uk/newsevents/media

2. The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) is the voice of nursing across the UK and is the largest professional union of nursing staff in the world. The RCN promotes the interest of nurses and patients on a wide range of issues and helps shape healthcare policy by working closely with the UK Government and other national and international institutions, trade unions, professional bodies and voluntary organizations.