The Latvian Ministry of Health has introduced draft amendments to the rules governing the Register of Medical Workers and Health Support Specialists, requiring medical professionals to disclose any practice history outside of Latvia. The public discussion period for these proposed changes is scheduled to last until July 16.
Why is the Ministry proposing stricter oversight of medical professionals?
The proposed amendments aim to strengthen control over the professional activities of medical workers. This move follows an international journalistic investigation published last year which revealed that more than 100 doctors continued to practice in one European country despite being deprived of their right to practice in another.
According to the Ministry, that investigation identified two medical specialists who treated patients in Latvia despite facing restrictions imposed in Finland. The new rules are intended to prevent similar situations by allowing the Health Inspectorate to verify disciplinary records from abroad.
Did You Know? An international journalistic investigation revealed that more than a hundred doctors who were deprived of the right to practice in one European country continued to work in another, including two medical specialists who treated patients in Latvia despite the restrictions imposed in Finland.
How will the requirements for international work change?
If the changes are adopted, medical workers who have worked outside Latvia and wish to undergo re-registration or restore their registration must inform the Health Inspectorate of their specific locations of practice. They will also be required to provide confirmation that the competent authorities in those countries did not prohibit or restrict their professional activities.
Currently, Latvian rules do not require medical professionals to report work performed abroad if that work lasted less than three years during the registration period or after its expiration. The proposed requirements would expand this scope to include professional activities in any country in the world, rather than being limited to European Union states.
What are the consequences for professionals with disciplinary restrictions?
If a doctor provides an official decision from a foreign authority showing that their right to practice was restricted or revoked, the Health Inspectorate may postpone their re-registration or the restoration of their entry in the register. When making such a decision, the Inspectorate plans to consider several factors, including:
- The number and severity of the violations
- The professional experience of the specialist
- The specialist’s explanations and the consequences of the violations
The Inspectorate may also appoint an additional assessment of professional suitability if necessary.
Expert Insight: By expanding the requirements to professional activities in any country in the world, the Ministry enables the Health Inspectorate to verify not only the fact of working abroad but also the presence of any possible disciplinary restrictions for returning doctors.
What updates are being made to medical specialties?
The draft amendments also include an update to the list of medical specialties and health support specialists. The proposal includes the following changes:
- The inclusion of spine surgeons as a subspecialty of orthopedic traumatologists.
- The inclusion of oncogynecologists as a subspecialty of obstetrician-gynecologists.
- The addition of nurses with extended competencies.
- The addition of embryologists to the classifier of health support specialists.
Additionally, the Ministry proposes to abandon separate certification for certain therapeutic and diagnostic methods, such as hyperbaric oxygenation, screening electrocardiography, and auricular and laser acupuncture. The Ministry emphasized that these methods are not prohibited and may still be applied by those with the appropriate training.
What is the timeline for the new regulations?
The amendments include new deadlines for submitting documentation. It is proposed that applications for re-registration must be submitted no earlier than three months and no later than one month before a current registration expires.
Following the conclusion of the public discussion on July 16, the Ministry of Health will review all submitted proposals. Once the review is complete, the draft rules will be submitted for further approval.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is the public discussion period for these amendments?
The public discussion regarding the draft amendments is open until July 16.
Do the new rules apply only to doctors who worked in the European Union?
No, the proposed requirements would apply to professional activities in any country in the world.
Will methods like laser acupuncture be banned under the new rules?
No. The Ministry states that while separate certification for these methods may be abandoned, the methods themselves are not prohibited and can be used with appropriate training.
How should regulatory bodies balance the need for strict international verification with the necessity of maintaining a sufficient workforce of medical professionals?
