CORU Annual Report 2023 Published

CORU Annual Report 2023: Protecting Public Health and Shaping the Future of Regulation

CORU, Ireland’s health and social care regulator, has published its 2023 Annual Report. This showcases our work in a year marked by significant progress, innovation, and preparation for the future.

With a mission to protect the public by ensuring high standards among health and social care professionals, we are proud of the role we continue to play in Ireland’s evolving healthcare landscape.

In November 2023, we commenced regulation of Social Care Workers. At the end of 2023 there were over 26,000 registrants an increase of over 7% in that year alone. The Physiotherapists register remains the largest with almost 6,000, while we expect that social care works will surpass that number in 2025.

2023 saw a surge in international applications, with 3,274 international registrants from 88 countries. International recruitment has become vital to Ireland’s healthcare system, and in 2023, we processed over 2,000 applications for recognition of overseas qualifications.

As part of our commitment to faster integration of international professionals, we have implemented a new pilot programme to streamline the recognition process, aiming to reduce the wait time for suitably qualified professionals to join the Irish workforce.

A further 17 education programmes were approved in 2023. Among these was the first apprenticeship-based Social Work programme, which aligns with the government’s broader Sláintecare vision of building a workforce that is flexible and community-oriented.

Technology and innovation are also prominently featured in CORU’s work. The first phase of a new registrant system was launched in 2023 as part of the digitalisation plan to modernise our processes.

Looking ahead, our strategic priorities include advancing the regulation of new professions, with a particular focus on opening the registers for Counsellors, Psychotherapists, and Psychologists, while ensuring that the processes remain responsive and efficient.

CORU’s achievements in 2023 underscore the importance of its role in Ireland’s health and social care system. With 26,940 registrants at the end of 2023 and a growing list of professions under regulation, CORU is well-positioned to continue its mission of protecting the public.

CORU-Annual-Report-&-Financial-Statements-2023---Monday-21-October-2024.pdf (size 5.4 MB)