The sector united against the abolition of mandatory CME courses

Friday, 14 January, attorney Silvia Stefanelli notified TAR Lazio (Regional Administrative Court) about the petition against the measure taken by the Ministry of Health, the National Commission for Continuing Education and the National Agency for Regional Health Services, which excludes opticians from CME courses.
Specifically, the petition requests the annulment of the ruling by the National Commission for Continuing Education, dated 23 September, 2010, which was announced to CNA on 9 November, 2010, and about which the petitioners became aware only on 17 November, 2010. The ruling excludes the auxiliary arts of the health professions from mandatory Continuing Education.
According to the petitioners, the ruling is illegal for two specific aspects: firstly, it is a breach of art. 16-bis of the Bindi decree on CME which refers to the wide category of “health operators” (and not just “health professions”). Secondly, it does not respect the aims of the standard to ensure and guarantee – for patient protection – the continuity of updating of those working in the health sector. In this respect, opticians, whose work and expertise have increased over the years, cannot be considered excluded.
Should the judge rule that the current position taken by the Ministry is correct, the secondary instance of the petition states that the initial interpretation should be considered an “error” and that damages should be awarded by the Public Administrations for all the contributions and expenses sustained by opticians for Continuing Education courses from 2002 to 2010.
It is a crucial moment for our sector and we are unswervingly united against the institutions that run the risk of undermining the role of opticians by excluding them from mandatory CME courses.