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OBSERVATIONS: Tessa Richards Time to tune into Europe BMJ 2007; 334: 185 [Full text]

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Professional Mobility

Prof. Sir Graeme Catto, Hew Mathewson, Rosie Varley, Nigel Clarke, Peter Dixon, nna Van Der Gaag, Sandra Arthur, Hemant Patel   (31 January 2007)

BMA response to patient mobility

Nicola While, Brussels 1000   (31 January 2007)

Professional Mobility 31 January 2007
Prof. Sir Graeme Catto, President General Medical Council NW13JN, Hew Mathewson, Rosie Varley, Nigel Clarke, Peter Dixon, nna Van Der Gaag, Sandra Arthur, Hemant Patel Send response to journal: Re: Professional Mobility	Your articles 'Border Crossing' and 'Patient Mobility in the European Union' (BMJ 2007;334) reflect recent media interest in health tourism in the context of the European Commission consultation on Health Services in Europe. What neither article addresses is the equally important issue of professional mobility that provides the other focus of the Commission’s consultation. In 2005, over 7,000 healthcare professionals from the EEA registered with UK regulatory bodies for the first time so that they could work in this country. UK has undoubtedly benefited from this high degree of professional mobility, with many dedicated individuals contributing positively to UK healthcare. But the EU rules that facilitate this level of mobility must also ensure proper protection for patients and the public. The Alliance of UK Health Regulators on Europe (AURE) brings together the 10 health and social care regulators in the UK to work collaboratively on European issues affecting patient and client safety. Whilst ensuring that professionals are able to benefit from their rights to free movement, regulators must also make sure that patients are not put at risk from the small minority whose fitness to practise is impaired. European legislation must give regulators the tools to enable them to do this. For cross-border healthcare to be safe and effective, greater information must be available for patients, professionals and regulators. In AURE's response to the Commission consultation (launched on 23 January), we called on the European Commission to propose a legal duty on regulators across the EU to exchange registration and disciplinary information and to act on it. This action, supporting the role of national regulators, would make a real contribution to enhancing patient safety in the EU. The Alliance of UK Health Regulators on Europe Prof. Sir Graeme Catto, President General Medical Council Hew Mathewson, President General Dental Council Ms Rosie Varley, Chairman General Optical Council Nigel Clarke, Chairman General Osteopathic Council Peter Dixon, Chairman General Chiropractic Council Dr Anna Van Der Gaag, President Health Professions Council Ms Sandra Arthur, President Nursing and Midwifery Council Mr Hemant Patel, President Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain Competing interests: None declared
BMA response to patient mobility 31 January 2007
Nicola While, EU Liaison Officer BMA Brussels Office, Brussels 1000 Send response to journal: Re: BMA response to patient mobility	The British Medical Association (BMA) is fully engaged in the debate on patient and professional mobility at the EU level. The BMA believes that any future European legislation on the issue of cross border patient mobility provides a unique opportunity to raise general standards of healthcare in the EU. However it is important that legislation fully takes into account a number of concerns that the BMA has highlighted in its official response to the consultation. These include different cultures of care between EU Member States, adequate information for both patients and professionals, privacy concerns and the issue of continuity of care. In principle, patients should and want to be treated as close to home as possible. However we believe that greater patient awareness of and demand for information on the availability of treatments abroad will lead to increased pressure on all providers (both sending and receiving) to improve their own standards to the benefit of all patients. Furthermore, the issue of professional mobility is of concern to the BMA. It is essential that a system is introduced which has an emphasis on a healthcare professional’s continuing fitness and suitability to practice in the receiving country. Basing a decision on their fitness to practice on the length of time they have trained rather than on the skills they have acquired is not suitable for the continued development of a modern healthcare system. The BMA is in favour of the principle of patient mobility. However in view of the diversity of healthcare systems across Member States, the appropriate balance must be achieved between legal certainty and maintaining Member State responsibility for healthcare. If this cannot be guaranteed, national systems run the risk of destabilisation with resulting costs to national governments and patients. Competing interests: None declared