NON-EEA DOCTORS ARE now be assessed on equal footing as EU applicants when applying for specialised training, after a shift in policy from Government.

Last month, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly announced that the change would be made, which will provide non-EU doctors with greater access to training that would give them the opportunity to specialise and then apply to become consultants.

Up to now, a HSE and Department of Health policy meant that EU/EEA citizens were given preference when applying for postgraduate medical training.

There has been a growing push during the pandemic to recognise the contribution made by non-EU doctors here, and after the Regulated Professions (Health and Social Care) Amendment Bill 2020 was criticised for not giving non-EU doctors equal access to apply for training as EU doctors here do.

Paediatric doctor Mohsin Kamal, who has worked in Ireland for over six years in hospitals in Kilkenny, Letterkenny and Cork, previously told The Journal that he felt like he was “bottom of the list” in seeking specialist training. 

“If there are 29 positions and 30 applicants, if one of them is from Pakistan and the rest of the 29 candidates are from Ireland and the Europe, and the fully-qualified doctor from Pakistan gave a great interview and his CV was brilliant… he will not be given the opportunity to get training, ” Kamal said last year.

After a concerted campaign in which doctors raised the issue with the Minister for Health and Justice Minister, various TDs and journalists, as well as tweeting out regular updates about their campaign, it was announced today that non-EU doctors would be assessed on equal footing as EU doctors who are applying for the training.

In a note from the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland, it listed four criteria from doctors from whom applications for its Core Surgical Training Programme would be considered as a priority.

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One of those criteria now includes “all persons currently holding a Stamp 4 immigration permission (including holders of a Stamp 4 EUFAM permission)”.

Advocated for a change for the last 5 yrs,demanded inclusion for Non EU colleagues through multiple campaigns.Liaised with various TD's,training bodies to implement the change&remove Stamp4 distinction for the allocation of training places.Finally the day has come.Allhamdullilah pic.twitter.com/nmlerYcl3D

— Dr Syeda Amna Azim (AKA SmileSpreader) (@No2Discriminatn) November 15, 2021

“We’ve many talented and committed non-EU doctors contributing hugely to our health service and they must be given opportunities to progress their careers in medicine, surgery and general practice,” Donnelly said on Twitter when announcing the measure last month.

With reporting from Rónán Duffy.