Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

498. To ask the Minister for Health the current average processing time for a nursing licence; if his attention has been drawn to any delays in the processing of such licences; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46893/22]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Under the Nurses and Midwives Act, 2011, the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI) is responsible for the regulation of nurses and midwives in Ireland, including the registration of nurses and midwives.

During the latter part of 2021, the NMBI had been experiencing an increased volume of overseas registration applications as well as delays in processing applications overall. Following consultation, my Department sanctioned additional resources to deal with the backlog. These have been in place for some time now and timelines for processing applications have significantly reduced.

In 2021 there were 4,546 applications from overseas nurses and midwives and, based on current trends, the NMBI estimates that it will receive just over 5,256applications in 2022.

So far in 2022, NMBI has issued 4,523 Decision Letters to overseas applicants. This is higher than the number issued during the full year of 2021 (2,430) and NMBI expects to have issued about 5,500 by year-end, which will be more than double the 2021 total. A Decision Letter is a key milestone for applicants and usually ( 98% of cases) includes an instruction for the applicant to go through a ‘compensation measure’ to allow them to demonstrate their clinical skills in terms of meeting the standard required in Ireland set by NMBI.

Approximately 80% of nurses and midwives pass their required compensation measures (either an adaptation period or an aptitude test) and convert to a registrant within six months of their decision letter being issued. Following registration, they can join the nursing and midwifery workforce.

In the period up to January 2022, 95% of initial applications received by NMBI were incomplete applications. This increases the lead in time for registration as time is lost while individuals gather (and supply to NMBI) the necessary documents and information which had not been supplied initially. As of the end of August 2022, only 55% of applications were incomplete at the point of submission, which is a substantial improvement.

The NMBI continues to work with key agencies and stakeholders as part of its role in supporting applicants, including aiming to further reduce the number of incomplete applications received.

In addition to assisting applicants, the NMBI’s approach is to reduce the timeframe in responding to incomplete submissions, thereby speeding up the process. Currently, these applications are assessed within 4 days of submission and applications that require re-assessment are reviewed within 5 days of receiving the additional necessary documents or information which had been sought from applicants. Once again this is a significant improvement since January 2022.

As the Deputy may be aware the NMBI has a number of statutory obligations to protect the public in its dealings with nurses and midwives and to protect the integrity of the practice of the professions of nursing and midwifery. Maintaining a high level of scrutiny in the assessment of applications is an essential element of this protection.