Institut für Europäische Gesundheits- und Sozialwirtschaft GmbH Joint Action on Health Workforce planning and forecasting Lisbon, June 16 th 2014 Meiko

Institut für Europäische Gesundheits- und Sozialwirtschaft GmbH

Joint Action on Health Workforce planning and forecastingLisbon, June 16th 2014

Meiko MerdaProject Manager, IEGUS Institute

Migration of Health Care Professionals

The triple win idea in bilateral agreements



Contents(1) Our institute(2) Legal implementation of the WHO Code in Germany

(3) Practical implementation

(4) Challenges and solutions



(1) Our institute



IEGUS Institute has been founded in 2007. Located in Berlin-Mitte, Reinhardtstr. 31 Website: www.iegus.eu

Main Topics: Demographic transition, strategies to meet the increasing demand of healthcare personnel (e. g. migration), use and funding of assistive technologies, sector and market analysis, cooperations at European and international level.



(2) Legal implementation of the WHO Code in Germany


Interpretation of the WHO Code

• In general: Nurses from Non-EU countries get admission to the German labor market when their professional qualification is accredited by the authority in charge.

• Exception: No direct recruitment of healthcare personnel from countries of origin that belong to the 2006 WHO list (critical shortage)!


Legal implementation of the WHO Code

• June 2013: General Framework for the migration of nurses from Non-EU countries with the reform of the „Beschäftigungsverordnung“.

• November 2013: Revision of the BeschV to follow premises of the WHO Code (= no recruitment from countries with „critical shortage“):

§ 38: Only the German Federal Labor Market Authority is authorized to recruit healthcare personnel from these countries.

§ 39: The recruitment from these countries is treated as a refringement (Ordnungswidrigkeit).

Appendix: 2006 WHO list with the 57 countries with a „critical shortage“



(3) Practical implementation


Practical implementation of the WHO Code

• First pilot projects with source countries that are not on the 2006 WHO list were initiated recently with the aid of or through the German government.


Lessons learned from pilot projects

• The motivation of nurses from less developed countries to migrate to Germany, learn German language and integrate into the new environment is high.

• Recruitment, language courses, professional preparations or the acceptance of foreign degrees as well as the social integration and on the job take it´s time and are very costly.

• The willingness of governments and healthcare facilities in countries of origin to collaborate with Germany is very high.



(4) Challenges and solutions


Challenges with the implementation of the WHO Code

• The strict orientation on the 2006 WHO definition of a „critical shortage“ excludes collaboration with certain source countries even if positive development effects are likely to occur.

• The main focus of the pilot projects, at the recent time of implementation, is on the reduction of domestic manpower shortages (no direct measures to strengthen healthcare systems in countries of origin!).

• Who should pay the (initial) costs for migration schemes? Government, employers, the personnel or in parts all (two) of them?


Solutions for a „real“ Triple Win Migration©

• Attach more importance to Article 5.1 (instead of fixed thresholds): „The health systems of both source and destination countries should derive benefits from the international migration of health personnel.“

• Implement „Training partnerships“: Countries of destination train (prepare) healthcare personnel in countries of origin for jobs abroad.

• Establish fair and sustainable financial mechanisms.

• Set incentives for circular/temporary migration.



Thank you for your attention!

Meiko MerdaProject Manager

IEGUS - Institut für Europäische Gesundheits- und Sozialwirtschaft GmbH Reinhardtstr. 31 D-10117 Berlin Fon: +49 30/9831222-4, Fax: +49 30/9831222-5E-Mail: [email protected] Internet: www.iegus.eu

Documents

Institut für Europäische Gesundheits- und Sozialwirtschaft GmbH Joint Action on Health Workforce planning and forecasting Lisbon, June 16 th 2014 Meiko