Abu Dhabi, Jan. 30, 2007 (WAM) -- The General Authorityfor Health Services (GAHS) of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi has signedan agreement with IntegraScreen, the leading international documentverification and screening company, to outsource the verificationof the credentials of healthcare workers who apply to be licensed,GAHS announced here today.

The deal forms part of a major new initiative to enhance itsbackground checking process for health professionals.

Eng. Zaid AI Siksek, director of Health Policy and Regulation,General Authority of Health Services, Abu Dhabi, said thenew initiative will ensure that the process is completed as accurately and efficiently as possible. "The GAHS backgroundcheck program helps to ensure that the public is protected fromunqualified and fraudulent health care workers, in line withbest international standards and practices," AI Siksek said,adding that the programme would not introduce delays intothe licensing process.

Commenting on the agreement, AI Siksek said "This contractis part of GAHS' vision for the future of health care in AbuDhabi in which an efficiently regulated, predominantly privatesector delivers world class health care."In response, IntegraScreen's local Director, Paul Kane, saidthat the company was delighted to have been selected to administer the important programme. "Fraudulent medical qualifications pose a serious threat to public health in manyparts of the world, with unqualified and inexperienced doctorsand nurses causing a huge amount of damage to patientsand to confidence in the system. By outsourcing and enhancing the process, Abu Dhabi proves once again that it is one of the most forward thinking health authorities inthe world," he added.

Under the scheme, when a health professional applies for a license the applicant's medical qualification, license andwork experience will be checked and verified by IntegraScreen.

In the majority of cases, these credentials will be verifiedwithin 30 days, thereby allowing a swift processing of the license application.

IntegraScreen is a leading provider of document verificationand screening services. It currently runs the UAE Ministry ofLabour's highly successful degree verification programme.

This programme authenticates the educational qualifications of international job applicants and has uncovered over500 fake qualifications in the past year in addition to over350 qualifications from bogus universities. It seeks to protect all sectors of society by exposing fraudsters and ensuring that all professionals, including construction engineers and architects, are properly qualified for the positions they hold.

According to AI Siksek, IntegraScreen was selected as apartner because "it's an established and respected UAE government contractor providing a similar service to the Ministry of Labour. IntegraScreen's UAE experience and international network of researchers gives them the uniqueability to meet GAHS' exacting requirements within a streamlined time frame."