3877 nurses and midwives registered in 2016
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3,877 nurses and midwives were registered to enter the Irish health system in 2016, the largest figure in five years the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI) has stated.
2,055 of these were overseas registrations, a 98% increase on 2015, with 1,822 Irish-trained applicants granted registration which is also the largest figure in this regard for five years. The number of registrations so far this year (21/02/2017) has also more than doubled relative to this point in 2016, with 630 in total registered by the regulator including 540 from overseas.
As part of NMBI’s drive to improve efficiencies, the regulator is undertaking a number of projects at present in the Registration Department to build on this progress, including a full process review of the EU/EEA team work streams and revision of guidance documents and application forms for EU/EEA and Non-EU applicants to include automation of processes where feasible. Applicants can now track their applications on-line using their personal NMBI account and the organisation is continuing to work with the Department of Health to add resources to the Registration Department and supplementing with agency staff appointments where possible.
Once an application and all supporting documents are submitted, the application goes through the assessment process. The length of time it takes is very variable and often depends on the country of origin of the applicant, as the documentation from some countries is more complex than that from others. Applicants for general nurse or midwife registration from EU Member States that have completed education programmes that comply with standards set down by the EU are the quickest to process.
Incomplete applications remain an ongoing challenge for the Board. The protection of the public is at the heart of the registration system. As well as a completed application form, applicants must send in identity documents and arrange for other supporting materials to be sent directly to NMBI, as is best-practice internationally.
NMBI is continuing to actively engage with all relevant stakeholders with regard to improving the registration process including the Department of Health, the HSE and other health-service employers, Nursing Homes Ireland (NHI) and recruitment agencies. NMBI is also working with NHI to explore ways of encouraging the large amount of nurses on the inactive part of the Register in Ireland to recommence practice.
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