Medical personnel can now move among Dubai hospitals

An agreement by the Dubai Health Authority and Dubai Healthcare City will allow medical professionals licensed by one group to be recognised by the other.

DUBAI // Medics licensed by two major healthcare bodies in the emirate will now be mutually recognised, senior officials announced yesterday.

The agreement covers more than 25,000 health professionals, including doctors, nurses and paramedics, working at facilities belonging to the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) and Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC).

"This decision will allow medics to move freely between the facilities," said Dr Ramadan Ibrahim, director of health regulation at the DHA. "It will encourage them when applying for a job at a facility belonging to either the DHA or DHCC, and leave their options open."

Previously, medical personnel had to be licensed by each body, a process that could take one to two months.

Now, once a practitioner has received a licence from one body, it will immediately be valid at all facilities belonging to the other.

Raja Al Gurg, vice chairperson of DHCC authority, said the move would increase efficiency and prevent duplication.

"It will save time and money," she said.

"It will also provide our patients with more options when choosing between government and private-sector services."

A joint committee to govern licensing, inspection and cases of malpractice will also be formed across the two bodies.

Streamlining such procedures would ultimately improve the quality of service provided to patients, said Dr Ibrahim.

"With a unified database, we can also ensure that no doctors convicted of malpractice can escape and work at another facility," he said. "It's a step forward for regulators, professionals and patients."

The DHA and the Health Authority-Abu Dhabi signed a Memorandum of Understanding last month, agreeing to unify their licensing procedures.