Analysis of the Structure of the Healthcare Sector in Terms of Professional Qualifications and Development of Proposals for Improving the Sectoral Qualifications System

The main problems of regulating the sectoral qualification system of the health system in Kazakhstan are the lack of a sectoral qualifications framework that is relevant to the existing needs of the health system and the absence of professional standards regulating the requirements for health professionals, the lack of a clear delineation of competencies by skill levels. In order to achieve this goal, we made analysis of the structure of the healthcare sector in terms of professional qualifications, taking into account: 1) types of economic activities in accordance with the National Classifier of the Republic of Kazakhstan «General Classifier of Types of Economic Activities»; 2) grouping occupations according to the National Classifier of Occupations of the Republic of Kazakhstan; 3) types of professional activities, specialties, qualifications and positions in accordance with secrtoral legislation. The next stage was the analysis of the health system’s need for new professions, taking into account the development of new technologies and international trends, including based on the analysis of the results of foresight research. Taking into account the complexity of the professional qualifications structure of the health system and the need for the introduction of new professions, we made proposals for the development of an industry qualifications framework and the creation of an Secroral Council for professional qualifications. The development of a sectoral qualifications framework and the formation of a Sectoral Council on professional qualifications in health system will create a tool for the formation of state and sectoral human resources policy in the health system, for the provision of demanded services in health care, for the creation and application of effective methods and technologies for prevention, diagnosis, treatment and medical rehabilitation. The sectoral qualifications framework should become the basis for the developers of professional standards for the health system, as well as employers, educational organizations of various levels, organizations that assess the professional preparedness of healthcare workers, heads of health organizations and government bodies in the field of healthcare. Keywords: Sectoral qualifications system, sectoral qualifications framework, professional standards