EU must share data on workers

It is imperative that regulatory optical bodies across the EU countries share registration information as increasing numbers of healthcare professionals, including optometrists, move around to work in other member states.

That was the message from Per Haugum in a presentation on the Healthcare Professionals Crossing Borders Project (HPCBO). Haugum, director of the Norwegian Registration Authority for Health Personnel, said that this transfer of labour came with a risk to patients.

'There has been a steady increase in the number of health professionals crossing the borders to work in other member states following the inception of the free labour market laws in Europe in the 1950s,' he said. 'It is a good thing that people can move around and provide their services and make a positive contribution to providing high quality healthcare in the EU states. But there is evidence to suggest that a minority may have impaired practice and move around in an attempt to avoid home state regulatory conditions.'