Professional qualifications - EU Exit standstill provisions: review by the Secretary of State
The Secretary of State has undertaken a review of the standstill provisions and concludes that the recognition of certain European healthcare qualifications should continue.
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The European Qualifications (Health and Social Care Professions) (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations (2019/593) (‘the EU Exit Regulations’) came into force on the day of EU Exit.
For as long as the EU Exit Regulations remain in place, EEA-qualified healthcare professionals, with relevant qualifications, can work in the NHS without the need to sit additional professional exams or undergo further assessment by the regulator. Regulation 14 of the EU Exit Regulations places a legal duty on the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to review these standstill provisions no earlier than January 2023 and to publish a report within 6 months.
This report sets out the Secretary of State’s findings and planned next steps, with a view to ensuring the policy for the recognition of professional qualifications meets the future needs of the health and care sector in the UK. This report will be of interest to UK regulatory bodies, EEA-qualified healthcare professionals seeking to work for the NHS, NHS England as service commissioners, and the devolved governments.
Updates to this page
Last updated 7 September 2023 + show all updates
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Corrected reference to 'European Union Directive 2005/35/EC' in 'Background' section - this now reads 'European Union Directive 2005/36/EC'.
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First published.