The Ministry of Health of the Slovak Republic succeeded in implementing the amendment of the law on healthcare providers, which brings several changes in response to the acute shortage of health workers. Therefore, the resort takes steps so that new health workers can reach patients more quickly in ambulances and hospitals.
Employment of students
The amendment will allow students from selected fields of secondary and higher education institutions to be employed by healthcare providers already during the upcoming summer holidays after completing at least the first year of study. They will be able to work as an ambulance, a practical nurse - an assistant, or a dental assistant.
This measure will help health establishments to reduce staff shortages during the period of summer holidays and strengthen the provision of health care to secondary school pupils and university students. We also expect this to encourage pupils and students to work in the health sector, improve their professional work activities and get used to new work teams. Employers will thus have the opportunity to recruit potential new employees.
Adjustment of resident studies
At the same time, the amendment simplifies and bureaucraticises the inclusion of health professionals in the specialisation study, including resident studies. During his studies, the residence will be an employee of a constitutional or outpatient health institution. After its successful completion, it can be employed in an ambulance or institution. For example, it will help primary pediatricians who have an acute shortage to raise their followers in this way.
The municipalities will cooperate with the Ministry of Health as part of the resident study and will provide each year data on the number of missing health professionals in the individual specialization fields. MZ SR will evaluate these data and each year will publish on the website the current number of residences in individual branches. It will allow residents to be more effective and more targeted in hospitals and outpatients where they are most deficient.
The graduate of a resident study shall be allowed to obtain a subsequent specialisation or a certified work activity in the 5-year period of healthcare provision, the duration of which shall be counted towards that period.
The amendment will enable the Ministry to respond better to scientific and technological progress and to make more flexible changes in further training of health professionals. It regulates and simplifies the conditions for the publication and publication of minimum standards for specialized study programmes, certification programmes and continuing learning programmes.
In accordance with EU law, the list of automatically recognised specialist medical and dental practitioners obtained in EU Member States is updated.
Slovak language with foreigners
For foreign health professionals, we are expanding ways of demonstrating national language control so that they can be more easily integrated into the healthcare system. The entire process of assessment and verification of national language control by the Ministry of Health is also regulated, as appropriate, by the professional activities that a foreigner in the health sector will perform.
State language control can also be demonstrated by proof of the status of Slovak living abroad. This will help health workers - Slovaks living abroad who want to work in our hospitals so that they do not have to undergo verification of Slovak control.