Health Ministry Clarifies Community Nurse Role Not Replacing Professionals

The Public Health Ministry has moved to clear the air over its hiring of community nurses (ASP), reaffirming that the role is meant to support, not replace, professional nursing staff. The controversy erupted when the ministry announced plans to recruit 7,256 community nurses for training, while approximately 7,000 professional nurses in the system remain temporary employees.

Health Minister Pattana Prom-Pattana stated that hiring community nurses does not aim to substitute for professional nurses but rather to strengthen the health team's capacity to deliver continuous essential care to communities. The two roles cannot be compared directly, he said.

Community nurses will focus on four key patient groups: homebound and dependent patients, those with chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs), mothers and children, and patients with mental health and substance abuse issues. This creates a systematic, rapid-response community care model.

Selection criteria vary by educational background: general bachelor's degree holders (up to age 65) undergo 240 hours of training; health science graduates (up to 65) complete 120 hours; and licensed health professionals such as nurses, doctors, or community health workers (up to 70) undertake 30 hours. Provincial selection committees with representatives from various sectors will review qualifications, and performance is evaluated annually. Top performers (top 10%) gain benefits like nursing degree study opportunities, while the bottom 10% receive warnings and their contracts end after two years.

Addressing concerns about professional nurses still awaiting permanent positions, Dr. Suphachoke Wetchaphanit, head of the Public Health Ministry's inspection team, confirmed the ministry has implemented systematic multi-faceted solutions. The ministry is accelerating the permanent hiring of over 5,842 medical and nursing personnel to ensure job security and reduce temporary and daily-wage nursing positions.

Of this total, 4,525 professional nurse positions are being filled, with completion targeted for September 2569 (2026). Many units have already processed over 40% of appointments. Additionally, the ministry is requesting allocation of 8,642 new civil service positions in ongoing discussions with the Civil Service Commission (CSC). The CSC has requested supplementary data from the Public Health Ministry, including distribution of professional nursing positions across health zones, five-year production and attrition statistics for nurses, and proposed improvements to job classification and senior-level nursing positions.