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General Medical Council to test EU doctors' proficiency in English General Medical Council to test EU doctors' proficiency in English
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Medical regulators are to be given new powers to prevent European doctors treating patients in Britain before they have proven their ability to speak English as a four-year battle to ensure tougher language checks on all overseas medics enters its final stages. Medical regulators are to be given new powers to prevent European doctors treating patients in Britain before they have proved their ability to speak English as a four-year battle to ensure tougher language checks on all overseas medics enters its final stages.
The government is to change the law so that although EU doctors will still join the UK professional register automatically, the General Medical Council(GMC) will have the power to test them before issuing a licence to practise, if concerns over their English have emerged. The government is to change the law so that although EU doctors will still join the UK professional register automatically, the General Medical Council (GMC) will have the power to test them before issuing a licence to practise, if concerns over their English have emerged.
About 5000 European doctors a year apply to register with the GMC. It was unable yesterday to say how many caused concern over their ability to speak English. But the GMC made its concerns clear when it told a parliamentary committee two years ago of a foreign doctor's husband who had contacted them to register on her behalf because she could not speak English. About 5,000 European doctors a year apply to register with the GMC. It was unable to say how many caused concern over their ability to speak English. But the GMC made its worries clear when it told a parliamentary committee two years ago of a foreign doctor's husband who had contacted them to register on her behalf because she could not speak English.
The council will also be able to test the English of all those doctors who have worked in the UK for some time but whose language shortcomings have only later arisen during fitness-to-practise investigations. There were 10 such instances last year. The council will also be able to test the English of all those doctors who have worked in Britain for some time but whose language shortcomings have only later arisen during fitness-to-practise investigations. There were 10 such instances last year.
A government commissioned survey indicated that there were 66 cases in 2011 in England where senior NHS doctors dealt with linguistic concerns about a doctor locally. The extra UK-wide GMC powers will also affect doctors working in the private sector. A government-commissioned survey indicated that there were 66 cases in 2011 in England where senior NHS doctors dealt with linguistic concerns about a doctor locally.
A formal consultation on the changes, which will take effect next year, is being launched by the Department of Health in England today. The extra UK-wide GMC powers will also affect doctors working in the private sector.
A formal consultation on the changes, which will take effect next year, is being launched by the Department of Health in England .
The new measures are the latest in the fall-out from a Guardian investigation into the 2008 death of Cambridgeshire patient David Gray who was given a 10-fold overdose of a painkiller by German locum Daniel Ubani on his first UK shift.The new measures are the latest in the fall-out from a Guardian investigation into the 2008 death of Cambridgeshire patient David Gray who was given a 10-fold overdose of a painkiller by German locum Daniel Ubani on his first UK shift.
Subsequent investigations revealed serious failures in NHS checks on doctors' language skills. The incident took more than a year to become public and only did so because two of Gray's sons approached the Guardian following what they saw as inaction by authorities. Between May and September 2009, the Guardian exposed failures in the vetting system for EU and other European doctors seeking work in Britain, which were less rigorous than for doctors from other parts of the world. Before working in the UK, non-European doctors undergo an English test and face a written exam and other assessments by the GMC.Subsequent investigations revealed serious failures in NHS checks on doctors' language skills. The incident took more than a year to become public and only did so because two of Gray's sons approached the Guardian following what they saw as inaction by authorities. Between May and September 2009, the Guardian exposed failures in the vetting system for EU and other European doctors seeking work in Britain, which were less rigorous than for doctors from other parts of the world. Before working in the UK, non-European doctors undergo an English test and face a written exam and other assessments by the GMC.
Ubani had withdrawn an application to join a so-called performers list run by the NHS in Leeds when he failed to score sufficiently high marks in an English test and did not provide guarantees he would only work locally.Ubani had withdrawn an application to join a so-called performers list run by the NHS in Leeds when he failed to score sufficiently high marks in an English test and did not provide guarantees he would only work locally.
A few weeks later he joined a list of the NHS in Cornwall, which had less stringent rules on proof of language skills and did not demand doctors committed themselves to working in the area. It became his ticket to work anywhere in Britain.A few weeks later he joined a list of the NHS in Cornwall, which had less stringent rules on proof of language skills and did not demand doctors committed themselves to working in the area. It became his ticket to work anywhere in Britain.
After the Ubani case and under pressure from regulators and doctors' organisations, ministers have gradually brought in tougher rules. Since April this year, more than 200 senior doctors in NHS commissioning groups in England were made legally responsible for checking the language and communications skills of doctors before they were offered jobs. There is now only one national performers' list instead of 53 regional ones.After the Ubani case and under pressure from regulators and doctors' organisations, ministers have gradually brought in tougher rules. Since April this year, more than 200 senior doctors in NHS commissioning groups in England were made legally responsible for checking the language and communications skills of doctors before they were offered jobs. There is now only one national performers' list instead of 53 regional ones.
Health minister Dan Poulter said: "Overseas doctors make a hugely valuable contribution to the NHS but it is clear that tougher checks are needed. We have already strengthened the way doctors' language skills are checked at a local level. These new powers are an important step in making the system even stronger."Health minister Dan Poulter said: "Overseas doctors make a hugely valuable contribution to the NHS but it is clear that tougher checks are needed. We have already strengthened the way doctors' language skills are checked at a local level. These new powers are an important step in making the system even stronger."
Although much of the registration process is online, European doctors have to attend GMC offices for an identity check and present original documentation.Although much of the registration process is online, European doctors have to attend GMC offices for an identity check and present original documentation.
Communication difficulties could be picked up through the quality of the paperwork, or through telephone conversations or face-to-face conversations, government officials suggest.Communication difficulties could be picked up through the quality of the paperwork, or through telephone conversations or face-to-face conversations, government officials suggest.
Similar measures for nurses and other health professionals are expected to follow as the government seeks to modify EU laws on freedom of movement, currently under review, and which has previously been seen as a problem. Similar measures for nurses and other health professionals are expected to follow as the government seeks to modify EU laws on freedom of movement, currently under review, which have been seen as a problem.
The view with regard to doctors, where poor English presents the highest risk, is that while having European doctors' medical qualifications automatically recognised in the UK by EU law, a change to the 1983 UK Medical Act to give the GMC extra powers to double check their English language skills where necessary would be legal and proportionate. The view with regard to doctors, where poor English presents the highest risk, is that while European doctors' medical qualifications would remain automatically recognised in Britain under EU law, a change to the 1983 UK Medical Act to give the GMC extra powers to double-check their English language skills where necessary would be legal and proportionate.