Focus on Ireland
St. Patrick’s day is the National Day of the Republic and Northern Ireland. As one of the newest members in the OET recognition family, it’s a good chance to find out more about the country and its healthcare system.
OET recognition in Ireland
The Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland share the same island and a difficult history, which is thankfully in the past now. Northern Ireland remains part of the UK so, for OET recognition purposes the requirements come from the Nursing Midwifery Council (NMC) and the General Medical Council (GMC)
The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI) started accepting OET results on January 2nd and the Irish Medical Board (IMB) on February 8th this year and since then there has been a lot of interest from candidates keen to start a new health career in the country.
The Irish healthcare system
In 2005, a new healthcare system in Ireland called the Health Service Executive launched. HSE oversees hospitals and health centres within the country. Access to healthcare services is generally via a patient’s chosen GP.
The public health system provides services for free or at a subsidy from the government. Those who have a Medical card, which includes those on a low income wage, pregnant women and children under 6, all receive free healthcare services while everyone else will pay between €40-70 for a visit to the doctor.
Some residents purchase private healthcare insurance to ensure they receive immediate medical treatment at the hospital and with the consultant of their choice.
Registering as a healthcare professional
To work as a healthcare professional in Ireland, you will need to register with your appropriate healthcare board. Currently only Nurses, Midwives and Doctors can use OET results for registration purposes. Hopefully this will extend to the other OET professions in the near future.
For Nurses, the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland require the following OET scores:
- B grades in Speaking and Writing.
- C+ grades in Reading and Listening.
- The results must be achieved within the last 2 years and from the same test sitting.
For Doctors, the Medical Council of Ireland require the following OET scores:
- 4 B grades (Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening)
- The results must be achieved within the last 2 years and from the same test sitting.
Further information
If you would like to find out more about the registration requirements in other countries who accept OET, follow the links for your profession: Who accepts OET?
Sources:
http://relocatingtoireland.com/irish-essentials/healthcare-in-ireland/