Council plans workforce review

A comprehensive review of the nursing and midwifery workforce in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will be one of the first pieces of work the new Nursing and Midwifery Council will undertake.

The council, which will oversee the professional regulation of nurses and midwives, was officially enshrined in law last month with the support of Princess Haya Bin Hussein, wife of Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who will act as chairperson.

Staff shortages are considered one of the most pressing issues facing the professions.

There are just 3.5 nurses per 1,000 population in the UAE compared to around 12 per 1,000 in the UK, according to Lauren Arnold chief nursing officer at University Hospital, in Dubai Health Care City.

"This is one of the most distressed nursing environments in the world," she said.

"The workforce analysis will look at supply and demand and we will use that data to build a workforce development programme that will fit the needs of this country and the growing demand for services," Arnold added.

The UAE's nursing workforce currently depends on staff from overseas, recruiting mainly from the Philippines and India, added Fatima Al Rifai, director of nursing at the Ministry of Health, who is expected to one of 17 members of the new council.

A key objective would be to encourage more locals into the profession, she added.

"We have a shortage of nurses that has to do with our culture and we always have to recruit from outside. But we want that to change" Al Rifai said.

Every nurse in the UAE will have to register with the council, which will charge a nominal registration fee.

The council will set standards of professional development, education and oversee the regulation of nurses, including investigating and making disciplinary decisions on poor practice.

"Our first mission is to make real improvements in nursing and to improve the health of the populations in the UAE. We are taking this responsibility seriously and collaborating to make sure we can do that," Arnold told MT.

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