Organisers
ASHCPUK – Association of Slovak Healthcare Professionals in the UK
MALnS – International Association of Doctors and Healthcare Workers in Slovakia
MALnS – International Association of Doctors and Healthcare Workers in Slovakia
Participants of the event
- Marian Neradný - MALnS
- Ondrej Obediar - psychologist/educator, UK ASHCPUK
- Katarina Morris - nurse, UK ASHCPUK
- Mária Žitková - recruitment agency, Slovakia
- Ildikó Kukanová - healthcare expert
- Monika Guldanova - HR specialist, PH International
- Katarína Rapcanová - HR specialist, PH International
- Sergiy Kutsevlyak - doctor, MALnS
- Alona Kurotova - chairwoman, MALnS
- Ekaterina Pleshanova - Nadacia AK
- Oleh Verhulenko - Med-Integro s.r.o.
- Helena Aziri - psychiatrist, chairwoman, ASHCPUK
- Monika Kubíková - nurse, UK ASHCPUK
- Katarina Krkošková - Ministry of Health of the Slovak Republic
- Iveta Lazorová - chairwoman, SKSAPA
- Edita Searle - psychiatrist, ASHCPUK
Purpose of the event
The main goal of the event was to exchange experiences and propose solutions to the shortage of nurses in the Slovak healthcare system through the integration of foreign nurses or the utilisation of non-traditional sources of workforce (e.g., marginalised Roma communities).
Katarina Morris – Presentation of the professional journey of a Slovak registered nurse (with no language skills) in the UK:
Ondrej Obediar – Presentation on the training process for nursing assistants in the UK and cultural/ethnic challenges in the NHS:
- Step-by-step career path
- Education system
- Competencies
- Specialisation
- Importance of healthcare workers' mental health
- Motivational factors
Ondrej Obediar – Presentation on the training process for nursing assistants in the UK and cultural/ethnic challenges in the NHS:
- Components of education
- Regulation and registration
- Career development
- Challenges and solutions for integrating staff from other cultures
- Open questions and weak points in integration
Discussion and conclusions
The discussion led to the following conclusions and concrete proposals:
To address these issues, we propose the establishment of a council under the government or the Ministry of Health (with a defined project charter) dedicated to the integration of foreign professionals and the search for sustainable solutions to address the shortage of healthcare workers in Slovakia. At the same time, this council should consider the needs of Slovak nurses, particularly in the area of mental health and burnout prevention. The United Kingdom can serve as an example of good practice (e.g., in education and career development), but also a warning regarding potential pitfalls such as intercultural differences and challenges.
The meeting was a continuation of the work on outcomes from the Permanent Conference of Slovak Healthcare Professionals Abroad:
Day 1 >>>
Day 2 >>>
- It is necessary to ensure the full integration of Ukrainian healthcare professionals who are already in Slovakia but often working outside the healthcare sector. The British model of involving Roma communities in healthcare could also serve as inspiration.
- Reform the education recognition system, applying a compensatory mechanism that would enable a fast and flexible pathway to meet the minimum qualifications of a registered nurse.
- Systematically prepare for the arrival of nurses from third countries outside Europe (e.g., language training in their home countries) and carefully select appropriate countries of origin.
- Effective collaboration and communication among all relevant stakeholders is key: the Ministry of Health of the Slovak Republic, Ministry of Education, professional chambers, MALnS, international experts, and universities.
To address these issues, we propose the establishment of a council under the government or the Ministry of Health (with a defined project charter) dedicated to the integration of foreign professionals and the search for sustainable solutions to address the shortage of healthcare workers in Slovakia. At the same time, this council should consider the needs of Slovak nurses, particularly in the area of mental health and burnout prevention. The United Kingdom can serve as an example of good practice (e.g., in education and career development), but also a warning regarding potential pitfalls such as intercultural differences and challenges.
The meeting was a continuation of the work on outcomes from the Permanent Conference of Slovak Healthcare Professionals Abroad:
Day 1 >>>
Day 2 >>>
