CORU Issues Public Protection Notice Regarding Clinic Direct
CORU, Ireland’s multi-profession health regulator, is issuing a public warning regarding information published on the website Clinic Direct (ClinicDirect.ie). CORU has identified individuals advertising health and social care services through the website, who do not appear to be registered with CORU and who are using falsified CORU registration numbers.
CORU regulates a list of 16 protected titles* under the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 (as amended). Anyone practising in Ireland under any of these titles must be registered with CORU. Registration with CORU provides assurance that the professional has the qualifications, knowledge, clinical and professional competence required to practise safely and effectively. It is a criminal offence for a person to use a protected professional title unless they are registered with CORU.
CORU is concerned that the use of falsified registration numbers may mislead members of the public regarding the registration status of individuals offering services through the website. This may expose patients and service users to individuals who are not subject to CORU's regulatory oversight.
Members of the public are strongly advised to verify the registration status of any health and social care professional by consulting CORU's public registers before engaging their services.
Further information, including access to CORU's public registers, is available at www.coru.ie.
ENDS
* Section 4 of the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 (as amended) (‘the Act’) provides the list of professional titles that are regulated by CORU.
- Chiropodist
- Dietician
- Dietitian
- Dispensing Optician
- Medical Scientist
- Occupational Therapist
- Optician
- Optometrist
- Physical Therapist
- Physiotherapist
- Podiatrist
- Radiographer
- Social Care Worker
- Social Worker
- Speech and Language Therapist
- Speech Therapist