BLATANT discrimination faces eastern European medical professionals in Ireland, according to a Lithuanian doctor based here.
Lina MacaitienÄ—, who has practised in Ireland for three years, says that qualified compatriots wishing to work as doctors in this country are facing a tough task getting their medical degrees recognised.
“I know three good neurologists [from Lithuania] who are forced to work packing boxes because they cannot get their certificates acknowledged here,” she told Metro Éireann. “In the meantime, Irish people are waiting for months to get a check-up in hospital because there is a lack of specialists.”
In order to make her voice heard, MacaitienÄ— has recently established the Lithuanian Medical Association, which will campaign for speedier recognition of diplomas from the Baltic states across the EU.
“Why are Irish hospitals hiring so many people from outside the EU?” she asks. “Does that mean Ireland has less trust in professionals from EU countries like Lithuania and Latvia?”
MacaitienÄ— remarked that some Lithuanians known to her have waited two years to get their qualifications recognised because of the “pile” of documents required.
She said the Lithuanian Medical Association currently has over 20 members and will also advocate for the provision of a special hospital where people of limited means can get free consultations.
She added that the association might even stand candidates at the upcoming European elections in order to take the campaign to a higher level.
The Irish Medical Council is tasked with registering doctors in Ireland. As of 1 January there were almost 20,000 doctors on the register. According to The Medical Practitioners Act 2007, it will be an offence to practice medicine in Ireland while unregistered from 16 March 2009 .
The council does not specify how long the registration process takes for doctors from the Baltic states.
