The Ministry of Health has regulated the issues of attestation for medical specialists with 5 years of experience and women on maternity leave, as reported by the Minister of Health of Belarus, Vasily Zharko, today during an online conference on the BELTA website.
The Ministry of Health has regulated the issues of attestation for medical specialists with 5 years of experience and women on maternity leave, as reported by the Minister of Health of Belarus, Vasily Zharko, today during an online conference on the BELTA website.
The Minister recalled that Decree No. 475 entered into force on March 1, introducing amendments to the regulation on licensing certain types of activities, including those related to the provision of medical services by private organisations. In accordance with the amendments, all employees of private medical institutions (with both higher medical education and secondary medical education) must possess a first or highest qualification category.
"The Ministry of Health has carried out a number of organisational measures that facilitate the effective implementation of the norms of this decree and allow for the maximum minimisation of consequences for medical workers of private organisations. The issues of attestation for medical workers of such organisations are under constant control of the Ministry of Health," said Vasily Zharko.
In particular, the issue of allowing medical workers whose 5-year work experience will be achieved by the end of 2016 to take the qualification exam for the first qualification category in the second half of 2016 has been regulated (provided that these workers obtain the relevant consent from the Ministry of Health by June 1, 2016).
As explained by the Ministry of Health, to improve qualifications to the required level, an employee must gain experience. The second category is awarded after 2 years of continuous work experience, taking into account the internship; the first category is awarded after 3 years following the attainment of the second category. In order to preserve jobs in private medical structures, the department amended the relevant resolution, which allowed doctors and nurses to be attested for the first category, bypassing the second, provided they have five years of experience in their specialty.
Issues concerning healthcare professionals of private organisations who are on childcare leave up to three years have also been regulated. Women on maternity leave are protected by the state and receive social benefits. Upon returning to work after maternity leave, they can submit documents and obtain the required category in the established manner, provided all conditions are met. After June 1, 2016, each case involving such healthcare professionals will be considered individually by the Ministry of Health.
According to Vasily Zharko, the amendments to the licensing regulations as a whole contribute to improving the quality of healthcare provided to the population. The Ministry of Health is taking and will continue to take all possible measures to ensure the smooth implementation of the provisions of Decree No. 475.
Legal entities and individual entrepreneurs are obliged to ensure compliance with the licensing requirements and conditions stipulated by the decree by June 1, 2016, and to submit information on this to the licensing authorities.