During martial law, certification of health workers is not carried out, but this does not mean that there is no need to accumulate continuous professional development (CPD).
From what moment the new rules for calculating NPR are in effect and what is known about the changes in the procedure for conducting certification of healthcare workers – read on ICTV Fakty.
Certification of medical workers 2025: main changes
The Ministry of Justice of Ukraine has approved a new procedure for certification of healthcare workers.
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The order of the Ministry of Health introduces an updated certification model and also provides for the resumption of certification of healthcare workers six months after the end or cancellation of martial law .
If the validity period of a current specialist certificate or certificate of assigned qualification category expired during martial law, their validity is automatically extended.
Certification of medical workers will be carried out according to new rules. In particular, instead of the previously existing five separate documents in the healthcare sector , a unified nomenclature of specialties and a single certification procedure will be introduced, covering all medical workers, in particular:
- doctors;
- nurses;
- pharmacists;
- physical rehabilitation specialists;
- specialists with higher non-medical education working in this field.
Also, for the first time, a unified Certificate of Professional Qualification is being introduced, which confirms the level of professional training and remains valid throughout the entire period of the specialist’s professional activity.
Who is conducting the next certification of medical workers according to the new rules
One of the main innovations is that the next certification of healthcare specialists will be carried out directly at their place of work, in healthcare institutions, and not in regional or central certification commissions, as was previously the case.
Certification will take place every five years and will serve as confirmation of completion of continuous professional development (CPD).
The HR department initiates the certification itself, so medical workers do not need to submit any applications, except in cases where a person seeks to improve their professional qualifications.
In such cases, you must submit an application and supporting documents before March 1 or September 1, depending on the expiration date of the certificate.
How often is certification carried out in medical institutions?
The procedure will take place twice a year, in April and October , covering those employees whose certificate expires during the corresponding half-year.
The updated procedure also includes a provision on extraordinary certification, which is initiated by a commission created by order of the head of a healthcare institution in the event of an employee violating his or her job responsibilities or improper performance of professional functions.
Based on the results of such an examination, a medical worker may be sent for an internship or a rehabilitation course.
In addition, completion of the professional rehabilitation program is mandatory for specialists who have not practiced medicine for more than three years, as well as for individuals who have been deprived of the right to professional activity by a court decision.
It is worth noting that the personal educational portfolio and continuous professional development (CPD) records now apply not only to doctors, but to all workers in the medical industry.
When will certification of medical workers begin according to the new rules?
Record keeping will begin within 10 working days from the date the new order comes into force, and the first annual audit of the portfolio with accumulated BPR points will take place in 2026.
From July 1, 2025, the number of NPR points will be awarded in accordance with the new criteria set out in Appendix 6 to the current Procedure for the Certification of Healthcare Workers.
We remind you that until June 30, 2025, the annual number of NPR points was determined according to the criteria specified in Appendix 4 to the Procedure for Certification of Doctors (Order of the Ministry of Health No. 446 dated February 22, 2019).
The minimum amount of CPR per year is 50 points for doctors, pharmacists and other specialists with higher education, and 30 points for nurses, pharmacist assistants and junior specialists.
Healthcare professionals who were appointed to positions before June 6, 2022, have the opportunity to continue working in their specialty and undergo certification, provided that their job title is consistent with the requirements of the professional standard or reference book of qualification characteristics.
If the job title does not correspond to these regulatory sources, the employee must be transferred to another position – one that corresponds to the officially approved job titles, with mandatory consideration of the requirements for education and postgraduate training.
Work experience in the specialty for doctors, pharmacists and other medical or pharmaceutical workers is counted in accordance with Appendix 5 to the current Certification Procedure.
The existing professional qualification is retained until the end of a certain five-year period from the date of the previous certification. After that, the specialist will be able to confirm or improve his/her qualification during the next certification in accordance with the new position or professional title.
