The Board of Directors of the National Institute of Health Specialties approved, during its sixth meeting, chaired by His Excellency Hussein bin Ibrahim Al Hammadi, Minister of Education and the Board Chairman ..decisions and recommendations that aim to enhance the capabilities and outputs of the institute, including the recommendation to prepare a study on the extent to which practical nursing specialties can be accredited under the umbrella of the institute, and to link them to the need for health care and the labor market, in addition to setting standards and a plan for expansion in the specializations within a first stage, by adding New medical specializations.
During the meeting, which was attended by members of the Board of Directors, representatives of the health sectors in the country, the members of the institute’s advisory committee approved, the institute’s work progressed during the past period, and the vision, mission and achievements were reviewed according to the four strategic themes: governance, specialized programs, accreditation, and evaluation.
The meeting stressed the importance of the nursing profession, and suggested setting up mechanisms to encourage residents as well to enter the field of nursing, and to benefit from the national strategy for nursing, especially in the governance of nursing education, and the need to strengthen cooperation between health sectors and universities in order to develop students' practical capabilities, in addition to focusing on the importance of engaging the private sector in Institute work and training support, as well as strengthening coordination and the need to represent it in appropriate committees and events at the institute.
They also confirmed that work continues in the eight specialties that have been established under the umbrella of the institute, as the specialized scientific committees are organized in their work and meetings. The criteria and a plan have been developed for the expansion of specialties in a first stage, by adding new medical specialties and then followed by dental specialties, and a study to introduce specialties of nursing and other health professions under the umbrella of the institute at a later stage.
The cooperation between the institute in this aspect takes place with the health and educational sectors in the country through the participation of its representatives in the membership of the specialized scientific committees. The institute seeks to activate the work of the scientific committees through the cooperation of the health sectors in the assignment of the heads of the scientific committees, according to their nature of work.
The preparation of all standards, systems and procedures for accreditation has been completed. The work of the Central Accreditation Committee has been regularized after it was formed from the representatives of the scientific committees and the health sectors in the country. In addition, admission tests were conducted in the residency programs for a total of 1083 applicants.
