EU PHARE Project CZ03/IB/SO04

Mutual recognition of health care qualifications in the Czech Republic

This project sought to comply with EU Directives regarding the fundamental freedoms of the EU with regard to the movement of services provided by EU practitioners. The project received EU funding of 500,000 euros (approximately £360,000.00).

The following project received 500,000 euros from the EU to:

i establish mutual recognition of health care qualifications,

ii create the Czech Republic Health Professions Register for 140,000 practitioners across 23 non-medical professions,

iii establish two central qualifications recognition units.

I was co-applicant and UK Short-term Expert defending the application at the EU Commission, Prague. This project was awarded jointly to UK Nicare (Belfast) and GvG Germany. I led the creation of the Czech National Health Professions Register identifying location, capacity, systems and processes to the enable the Register to ‘go live’. I led the harmonisation of the national nursing and midwifery curricula conducting ministerial workshops and developing the Czech transposition table, reporting directly to the EU team. I advised on the establishment of two Qualifications Recognition Units in collaboration with the UK National Academic Recognition Information Service (UK NARIC).