Dubai Healthcare City to license fresh graduate nurses

DUBAI: Graduate nurses and allied health professionals including nutritionists, therapists and dental hygienists who have graduated from accredited medical colleges and universities in the UAE can now apply for a licence to practise in Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC), announced the free zone’s regulator, Dubai Healthcare City Authority – Regulatory.

These new guidelines are part of a series of initiatives aimed at expanding the talent pool of healthcare professionals in the DHCC free zone, driving Emiratisation in the health sector, and building capacity in critical areas such as nursing.

As per the guidelines, fresh graduates, including Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) professionals from institutions accredited by the UAE Ministry Education will be accepted without the previous requirement of clinical experience, which can be one to two years depending on area of specialty.

There are more than 24 universities providing healthcare education in the UAE.

The exemption will encourage graduates from accredited institutions to immediately join the healthcare industry, fostering a seamless progression from academic to clinical practice.

In addition, hospitals and clinics in the free zone will be able to recruit locally and train a homegrown talent pool, while providing highest standard of care.

Dr Ramadan Alblooshi, Chief Regulatory Officer, Dubai Healthcare City Authority, said, “In line with the UAE government’s strategy of supporting local talent to drive growth across sectors, our new guidelines will help nurture homegrown clinical talent by providing them with opportunities to develop their skills at DHCC’S world-class healthcare facilities.

“It will also help enhance patient experience as domestic talent is familiar with healthcare needs unique to this region as well as our culture.” The updated guidelines are in line with those of other Uae health authorities. previously, the exemption was only applicable to general physicians and dentists.

Recently, it announced that doctors and dentists from countries in south america, eastern europe, and West Africa, among others, can apply for a licence to practise in the Dubai Healthcare City, DHCC, in accordance with new guidelines announced by the free zone’s regulator, Dubai Healthcare City Authority – Regulatory.