Medics urge tougher language tests for NHS staff amid fears over patient safety

By The Press Association16th August 2016News EnglandBrexit, Hospitals, Midwifery, News England, NHS, Nursing / Midwifery, Workforce

Patient safety could be at risk because doctors, nurses and dentists from the EU are not facing stringent enough language tests, leading medics have said.

In just one year, 29 medics from the European Economic Area (EEA) faced allegations of “inadequate knowledge of English language”, according to data obtained by the Royal College of Surgeons (RCS).

By contrast, just 10 doctors from outside the EU faced the same accusations during 2014/15, the figures obtained by the RCS from the General Medical Council also show.

Brexit negotiations pose an “excellent opportunity” to ensure language checks are up to scratch, the RCS said.

It added that under current EU rules, doctors coming to Britain from the EEA only have to show they have general English language skills.

But those wishing to work in the UK who come from further afield have to prove their language abilities in a clinical context – showing they can talk fluently about symptoms and equipment.

Professor Nigel Hunt, dean of the Faculty of Dental Surgery at the RCS, said: “The NHS would struggle to provide care in hospitals, clinics and dental practices without the very skilled doctors, dentists and nurses that come from both the EU and non-EU countries.

“It’s absolutely vital that the Government find ways to ensure they can remain working in the NHS post-Brexit. That said it’s unquestionable that such staff should be able to communicate clearly with patients in English about their clinical problems, illnesses and treatment.

“While the professional regulators are able to require proof of the clinical language skills of non-EU applicants, the same checks do not apply to EEA applicants and our fear is that this could be putting patients at risk. We want the same rules to apply to all non-UK professionals, regardless of where in the world they come from.”

During 2014/15, 145 allegations were made about poor communication by dentists from the EEA compared with 27 about dentists from the rest of the world, according to data from a freedom of information request to the General Dental Council by the RCS.

A new briefing paper from the Faculty of Dental Surgery at the RCS warns that despite attempts to improve language checks, EU law still prevents regulators from systematically testing EEA applicants’ language skills in a clinical setting, including on medical terms, ensuring consent, describing a procedure and possible side-effects.

Prof Hunt added: “The number of EEA doctors and dentists facing allegations relating to their communication skills is an issue we think the Government should be taking very seriously.

“Currently EU law makes it impossible to insist applicants demonstrate their English skills in a clinical setting. However post-Brexit negotiations offer an excellent opportunity to change this and ensure that testing is vigorous enough to ensure patient safety.”

A Department of Health spokesman said: “Patient safety is of the utmost importance, and we expect all healthcare professionals working in the UK to have a good command of the English language.

That is why we have tough rules, allowing the GMC and individual employers to test employees at and beyond the initial point of employment – and these cases represent just 0.002% of NHS staff.”

Niall Dickson, chief executive of the General Medical Council, said: ‘Our language requirements are among the toughest in the world, and we keep them under regular review to make sure they continue to be effective.

“We have twice raised the standard in recent years and have secured a change in the law to allow us to take action against doctors who cannot communicate effectively.

“In the past we were not able to check doctors from Europe. Now we can and the difference is clear – this has been a huge step forward for patient safety. Since 2014 nearly 1,100 doctors from Europe have not met our English language requirements and cannot therefore practise in the UK.

“We have always argued that we should have the right to test the competence of European doctors as well as language and that remains our position.

“Employers also have a responsibility to carry out thorough pre-employment checks and make sure that the doctor is qualified and competent to carry out the duties they are being given, including having the right language skills for their particular role.”

A European Commission spokeswoman said: “It is out of the question that EU rules would require the UK to let linguistically or medically incompetent professionals practise. In fact, the rules – agreed by UK – expressly require member states to prevent such people from being employed.

“The Directive neither prevents employers from refusing to give someone a job due to their inability to communicate at a job interview, nor does it prevent employers from dismissing someone for their inability to carry out the tasks assigned to them.”