the health authority

The Health Authority – Abu Dhabi (HAAD) is the regulative body of the Healthcare Sector in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and ensures excellence in Healthcare for the community by monitoring the health status of the population.

The regulation of Health Professionals by means of licenses issued by HAAD is one of the most important ways in which HAAD can ensure the provision of safe, effective, ethical and high quality healthcare in Abu Dhabi.

In its capacity as the primary regulatory authority for the healthcare sector and sole licensor of health professionals, the HAAD assumes oversight over the entry into the practice of health care in Abu Dhabi through licensing the following categories of health professional:

The Health Authority – Abu Dhabi (HAAD) is the regulative body of the Healthcare Sector in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and ensures excellence in Healthcare for the community by monitoring the health status of the population.

The regulation of Health Professionals by means of licenses issued by HAAD is one of the most important ways in which HAAD can ensure the provision of safe, effective, ethical and high quality healthcare in Abu Dhabi.

In its capacity as the primary regulatory authority for the healthcare sector and sole licensor of health professionals, the HAAD assumes oversight over the entry into the practice of health care in Abu Dhabi through licensing the following categories of health professional:

1. Physicians and Dentists 2. Nurses and Midwives 3. Allied Health Professionals (including Pharmacists)

The following 3 essential processes must be completed for initial licensure of all health professionals:

1. Primary Source Verification (PSV):

The process through which the HAAD validates credentialing information from the institution that originally conferred or issued the credential (e.g. authenticity of educational degrees). This is done through our partnership with Dataflow group. Please click here for more information on dataflow.

All health professionals must undergo the PSV process upon initial licensure application or license renewal (for licensed health professionals whose qualifications had not previously undergone PSV). Please note that each document only requires to be verified once. Health professionals may be required to repeat the PSV process for verification of newly acquired credentials/qualifications as required for credentialing purposes (e.g. Acquisition of new educational degree).

ALL APPLICANTS FOR LICENSURE MUST HAVE AT LEAST ONE VERIFIED DATAFLOW REPORT TO COMPLETE LICENSING PROCESSES.

2. Credentialing

Upon completion of primary source verification, all health professionals applying for licensure are credentialed in accordance with the HAAD Professional Qualifications Requirements (PQR). The PQR is a comprehensive document which sets out the standards of education, qualification, training, and professional experience that are required of specific health professional categories.

Please click here to access the PQR.

ALL APPLICANTS FOR LICENSURE MUST SATISFY MINIMAL PQR REQUIREMENTS FOR SPECIFIC LICENSURE TITLES/POSITIONS.

3. Assessment/Examination

Certain professionals may require formal assessments (examinations) to ensure clinical competence and safe practice.

Examinations are provided in a variety of formats including:

o Written o Oral o Practical o Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) o Computer-Based Testing (CBT)/Online Testing

PLEASE NOTE, SELECT HEALTH PROFESSIONAL CATEGORIES HAVE THE OPTION OF SITTING THE REQUIRED HAAD EXAMINATION BEFORE INITIATING THE LICENSING PROCESS. This is usually reserved for health professional categories where online testing is available (e.g. medical practitioners, registered nurses).

For details on examination requirements, exemptions, and exam registration procedures please click here to access the HAAD website.

1. Equivalence of qualifications

The HAAD cross recognizes select qualifications related to specific health professional categories as “equivalent” to the related HAAD competency based examination. Individuals who show proof of current attainment of these qualifications are waived from undergoing the equivalent HAAD examination.

Please click here for details on examination exemptions policies.

2. Facility sponsorship requirement

All practicing health professionals in Abu Dhabi must have a designated facility sponsor whose name appears on the HAAD license. Evidence of sponsorship is provided by completing the “facility declaration form” in section 3.0 of the HAAD licensure application.

Though individuals may start and complete the 3 essential components of licensure (PSV, credentialing, and examinations) process without facility sponsorship (as an unsponsored applicant) final license issuance requires a facility sponsor. Thus, unsponsored applicants will be prompted to provide evidence of sponsorship before issuance of license.

3. Proof of Medical Fitness

All health professionals over age 60 who wish to apply for licensure must provide a medical fitness clearance form. After submission of the HAAD licensure application, applicants over 60 will receive a notification from HAAD licensing officials with detailed instructions on how and where to complete the medical fitness requirement. Please note that medical fitness reports must be issued from specific HAAD designated facilities ONLY.

4. Security Clearance (CID)

All health professionals must submit a “CID” (staff data form) form to be used for security clearance purposes (this will appear as part of the licensure application form). Please note that applicants who are unable to complete the last two sections of the form (requiring proof of UAE visa and appointment dates) may leave these sections blank. These applicants can proceed with all licensure processes but may be prompted to provide the missing CID clearance information before the final step of license issuance.

5. Gap of Practice

The HAAD has strict time allowances for health professionals who have experienced a gap of clinical practice. To access the gap of practice policy, please refer to page 14 of the PQR 2011.

1. Physicians and Dentists 2. Nurses and Midwives 3. Allied Health Professionals (including Pharmacists)

The following 3 essential processes must be completed for initial licensure of all health professionals:

1. Primary Source Verification (PSV):

The process through which the HAAD validates credentialing information from the institution that originally conferred or issued the credential (e.g. authenticity of educational degrees). This is done through our partnership with Dataflow group. Please click here for more information on dataflow.

All health professionals must undergo the PSV process upon initial licensure application or license renewal (for licensed health professionals whose qualifications had not previously undergone PSV). Please note that each document only requires to be verified once. Health professionals may be required to repeat the PSV process for verification of newly acquired credentials/qualifications as required for credentialing purposes (e.g. Acquisition of new educational degree).

ALL APPLICANTS FOR LICENSURE MUST HAVE AT LEAST ONE VERIFIED DATAFLOW REPORT TO COMPLETE LICENSING PROCESSES.

2. Credentialing

Upon completion of primary source verification, all health professionals applying for licensure are credentialed in accordance with the HAAD Professional Qualifications Requirements (PQR). The PQR is a comprehensive document which sets out the standards of education, qualification, training, and professional experience that are required of specific health professional categories.

Please click here to access the PQR.

ALL APPLICANTS FOR LICENSURE MUST SATISFY MINIMAL PQR REQUIREMENTS FOR SPECIFIC LICENSURE TITLES/POSITIONS.

3. Assessment/Examination

Certain professionals may require formal assessments (examinations) to ensure clinical competence and safe practice. Examinations are provided in a variety of formats including:

o Written o Oral o Practical o Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) o Computer-Based Testing (CBT)/Online Testing

PLEASE NOTE, SELECT HEALTH PROFESSIONAL CATEGORIES HAVE THE OPTION OF SITTING THE REQUIRED HAAD EXAMINATION BEFORE INITIATING THE LICENSING PROCESS. This is usually reserved for health professional categories where online testing is available (e.g. medical practitioners, registered nurses).

For details on examination requirements, exemptions, and exam registration procedures please click here to access the HAAD website.

1. Equivalence of qualifications

The HAAD cross recognizes select qualifications related to specific health professional categories as “equivalent” to the related HAAD competency based examination. Individuals who show proof of current attainment of these qualifications are waived from undergoing the equivalent HAAD examination.

Please click here for details on examination exemptions policies.

2. Facility sponsorship requirement

All practicing health professionals in Abu Dhabi must have a designated facility sponsor whose name appears on the HAAD

license. Evidence of sponsorship is provided by completing the “facility declaration form” in section 3.0 of the HAAD licensure application.

Though individuals may start and complete the 3 essential components of licensure (PSV, credentialing, and examinations) process without facility sponsorship (as an unsponsored applicant) final license issuance requires a facility sponsor. Thus, unsponsored applicants will be prompted to provide evidence of sponsorship before issuance of license.

3. Proof of Medical Fitness

All health professionals over age 60 who wish to apply for licensure must provide a medical fitness clearance form. After submission of the HAAD licensure application, applicants over 60 will receive a notification from HAAD licensing officials with detailed instructions on how and where to complete the medical fitness requirement. Please note that medical fitness reports must be issued from specific HAAD designated facilities ONLY.

4. Security Clearance (CID)

All health professionals must submit a “CID” (staff data form) form to be used for security clearance purposes (this will appear as part of the licensure application form). Please note that applicants who are unable to complete the last two sections of the form (requiring proof of UAE visa and appointment dates) may leave these sections blank. These applicants can proceed with all licensure processes but may be prompted to provide the missing CID clearance information before the final step of license issuance.

5. Gap of Practice

The HAAD has strict time allowances for health professionals who have experienced a gap of clinical practice. To access the gap of practice policy, please refer to page 14 of the PQR 2011.

The following is a checklist of requirements of all health professionals submitting licensure applications for the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. We highly recommend that you prepare the following required documents before starting your application:

Recent passport size photograph (white background) Passport copy, only pages showing personal details and expiry If the applicant is inside the country they need to submit a copy of the residence/visit visa for CID purposes. Experience Letters (to cover the minimal and most recent experience duration as required by the PQR title being applied to).

Please note the following: o Experience is defined as a salaried position as a licensed health professional. Volunteer and training/trainee positions do

not qualify. o Experience letters must be issued as official documents from the relevant human resources department(s) o If submitting part time experience please attach an official record of hours worked.

Copy of license valid and current professional license(s) (to cover the minimal and most recent experience duration as required by the PQR title being applied to)

Certificate(s) of Good Standing from the relevant regulatory authority (to cover the most recent experience duration as required by the PQR title being applied to AND the most recent 10 years of clinical practice. Please note:

o If duration required by PQR is over 10 years, then please provide certificate(s) of good standing to cover the experience as required by PQR .

o If the applicant has less than 10 years of clinical practice, please provide certificate(s) of good standing to cover the entire duration of practice.

o If you do not have a regulatory authority that issues certificates of good standing (e.g. U.S. and Canadian professional license holders) professional licensure status will be reviewed by the Health Authority independently.

o For applicants whose regulatory authority will not issue good standing certificates to individuals (e.g. GMC license holders), you may have it sent to the following address:

Health Authority Abu Dhabi Division of Health Regulations Department of Health ProfessionalLicensing P.O. Box 5674 Abu Dhabi, UAE

PLEASE INCLUDE/ENCLOSE YOUR HAAD LICENSE APPLICATION NUMBER

Facility Declaration Form (applicable only to applicants with facility sponsorship, provided in the application) CID/staff data clearance form (provided in the application) Letter of Authorization (provided in the application) Educational qualifications (must provide the relevant qualifications as required by the PQR title being applied to). Below is a

summary table of educational requirements according to health professional category.

Below is a summary table of educational requirements according to health professional category.

HOWEVER PLEASE NOTE THAT THE BELOW TABLE REPRESENTS AN ABBREVIATED VERSION OF REQUIREMENTS; PLEASE REFER TO THE PQR FOR FURTHER DETAILS.

Physicians and Dentists Nursing and MidwiferyAllied Health Professionals

Clinical Non Clinical Roles

Medical Practitioners (Physicians) - Internship - Medical School Degree (M.B.B.S./MD or equivalent) from WHO/IMED/FAIMER recognized institution got GP/MP)

Practical Nurse/Midwife - High School certificate - Nursing School with NLT 18 months study

Technician/Assistant Level - Diploma/Certificate of proficiency in relevant field of study

Transplant coordinators Biomedical Engineers Cast Technician Central Sterile Services Discharge Planners Medical Secretary Health Educator

Please refer to PQR for details of requirements for non clinical AHP’s

General Practitioners (Dentists) - Internship - Dental School Degree (BDS, DMD, DDS

Registered Nurse/Midwife - Above requirements - Bachelor of Science degree in nursing or

Technologist/Senior Technologist - Bachelor’s degree in relevant field - Post

or equivalent) from FDI World Dental Federation recognized institution for GP position

equivalent qualification of NLT 3 years study

graduate degree (Master’s/PhD/higher diploma for some senior positions)

Specialists and Consultants (Dentists and Physicians) - Above requirements - Dental/Medical Board Certification(s) and/or Master’s/PhD degree (s)

ADON/DON - Above requirements - Post Graduate Degree (Master’s/PhD)

Manager/Supervisor - Bachelor’s degree in relevant field - Post graduate degree (Masters/PhD/higher diploma)

Please Note : Please refer to PQR for recognized medical/dental board certifications

Please note: All Nurses and Midwives must provide evidence of BLS certification Advanced Life Support Certification e.g. ALCS, PALS, ALSO, NRP are required for select nursing/midwivery titles

Please note: Some positions are restricted to UAE Nationals only Some positions require proof of membership in specific qualifying associations

HOWEVER PLEASE NOTE THAT THE ABOVE TABLE REPRESENTS AN ABBREVIATED VERSION OF REQUIREMENTS; PLEASE REFER TO THE PQR FOR FURTHER DETAILS.

After submission of your HAAD e-licensing application, there are two principle methods of having of obtaining application status updates:

1. Automatic SMS updates of application status will be sent directly to UAE mobile numbers if provided in the application form 2. Applicants may also check the status of their application by logging into the Health Authority website at www.haad.ae and

logging into the e-licensing system or click on the following link.

An email will be sent with a different user name and password .

End of application instructions. By clicking the NEXT button, you will begin the HAAD e-licensing application.

Category Content Fee

- Nursing & Midwifery - Pharmacy - Clinical Support - Alternative Medicine

1. Verification of relevant educational qualification (Diploma or Bachelor) 600 AED 2. Verification of one Professional License

3. Verification of last 2 years of experience Additional Health License or Employment Certificate 100 AED Additional Educational Qualification 300 AED

- Specialty Physician - Specialist Dentist - GP Dentist

1. Verification of Post Graduate Degree (e.g. Masters, PhD, Board Certification) 600 AED 2. Verification of one Professional License


- Medical Practitioner

1. Verification of MBBS/MD/BDS/DMD/DDS OR Equivalent 600 AED 2. Verification of one Professional License


- Consultant Physician - Visiting Consultant - Consultant Dentist

1. Verification of Post Graduate Degree (e.g. Masters, PhD, Board Certification) 900 AED 2. Verification of one Professional License


All Single Educational Qualification only 500 AED

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