Annual activity report of the Accreditation Commission of the Ministry of Health of the Slovak Republic for further training of health workers in 2023

Accreditation Board The Ministry of Health of the Slovak Republic for the further education of health workers (hereinafter referred to as the "Accreditation Commission') is pursuant to § 40 paragraph 1 of Act No. 578/2004 Coll. on Health Care Providers, Health Care Professionals, Health Organisations and amending certain laws as amended (hereinafter referred to as "the Act on Providers'), the Advisory Body of the Ministry of Health of the Slovak Republic (hereinafter referred to as "the Ministry of Health') which performs tasks in the field of accreditation of study programmes for further training of health workers, assesses the fulfilment of the conditions of the educational provisions for the implementation of the study programmes (specialising, certification and continuing training), first aid courses and courses of first aid instructors in accordance with the principles of accreditation for the implementation of study programmes. Annex No. 1. The Accreditation Commission shall have 15 working groups with which it shall cooperate in the performance of its tasks.

In 2023, a number of personal changes were made to the membership of the Accreditation Commission. On 1 February 2023, Prof. MUDr. Juraj Payer, PhD., MPH, FRCP, Chairman of the Accreditation Commission, ceased to be a member of the Commission due to his appointment as Dean of the Faculty of Medicine of Comenius University in Bratislava, at the same time he was nominated as chairman of the Accreditation Commission Prof. MUDr. Ján Švihra, PhD., who was appointed as the Minister of Health in accordance with the Statute of the Accreditation Commission of the Ministry of Health of the Slovak Republic for further education of health workers (hereinafter referred to as "the Statute') subsequently appointed by the Minister of Health. During the first half of 2023, two new members of the accreditation committee were appointed in accordance with the statute, Dr. Peter Jackuliak, PhD., MPH, FEFIM, who became Vice President of the Accreditation Commission and Prof. Katarína Gazdíková, PhD., MHA, MPH.

Under the leadership of the chairman of the Accreditation Commission, 8 regular plenary sessions of the Accreditation Commission were held at the Ministry of Health in 2023. In January, March, April and November, 4 regular plenary sessions of the Accreditation Commission were held in a combined form, i.e. in the Ministry of Health building and at the same time online via Webex. In May, June and September, 3 regular plenary sessions of the Accreditation Commission were held online via Webex and in November 1 regular plenary session was held in the building of the Ministry of Health.

The Accreditation Commission discussed proposals for new specialisation programmes and certified work activities and related minimum standards, approving:

• new specialization study programme RESPIRATION PHYSIOTERAPIA to the next amendment/amendment of the Government Regulation No.296/2010 Coll. on professional competence in the exercise of the health profession, way of further training of health professionals, system of specialisation and system of certified work activities as amended (hereinafter referred to as Government Regulation No.296/2010 Coll.) a new minimum standard for this specialization study programme (for the medical profession physiotherapist)

• new certification study programme in a certified work activity, SPECIFIC INTERVENTIONS FOR THE SUPPORT OF PATIENT SPIRIT HEALTH WITH SOLUTION TO THE next amendment/amendment of Regulation No 296/2010 Coll. as well as the relevant new minimum standard (for the medical profession doctor, psychologist and nurse with a degree II degree)

• new certification study programme cELOTEL ULTRASONOGRAPHY IN PEDIATRIA (for the medical profession doctor) to the next amendment/amendment of Decree No 296/2010 Coll. minimum standard the accreditation committee has resigned to the submitters for completion. 

Among the main tasks of the Accreditation Commission, including in 2023, were the assessment of the fulfilment of the conditions of the educational establishment for the implementation of specialization courses, certification courses, continuing training programmes, first aid courses and first aid instructor courses.

In the course of 2023, a total of 76 decisions were issued on the issue of an accreditation certificate, under which the educational establishments are authorised to carry out: specialisation courses, certification courses, continuing training programmes, first-aid courses and first-aid instructor courses.

Of the total 76 decisions have been issued:

• 2 new decisions accreditation of specialisation courses,
• 32 decisions, under which, after a five-year period, educational establishments are re-authorised to carry out training in specialisation courses,
• 5 new decisions accreditation of certification programmes,
• 6 decisions, on the basis of which, after a five-year period, the educational establishments are re-authorised to carry out the training in the certification programmes,
• 13 new decisions accreditation of continuing learning programmes,
• 1 decisionwhich, after a five-year period, gives the educational establishment the right to carry out continuous training again,
• 5 new decisions accreditation of first-aid instructor courses,
• 2 of the decision, on the basis of which, after a five-year period, training establishments are re-authorised to conduct first-aid instructor courses
• 10 decisions accreditation of first aid courses.

In the past year, in one case, the educational establishment applied for withdrawal from the application for re-accreditation of the specialisation study programme, on the basis that the accreditation committee had not approved the recommendation to grant the right to carry out the specialisation study programme in question. In the next case, the educational establishment submitted a request for withdrawal of the application for re-accreditation of the certification study programme, as the application file did not meet all the criteria of the "Accreditation principle for the implementation of the study programmes'.

Data on the number of specialisation diplomas and certificates issued for 2023 by educational establishments authorised to carry out specialisation programmes and certification courses are provided in Annex No. 2.

In Bratislava on 07.03. 2023

prof. Dr. Ján Švihra, PhD.
chairman of the accreditation commission

Annexes:

• Annex 1 - List of members of the Accreditation Commission
• Annex No 2 - Number of documents issued for 2023

Annex No 1

Annex No 2

Number of diplomas issued on specialisation and certificates by educational establishments for 2023