- 21 November 2022
- 4 min read
Do You Agree With Scrapping Competency Tests For Some International Nurses?
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Health Foundation senior visiting fellow James Buchan reports that "there will be legislative change to make it easier to recruit Nurses…internationally reinforces just how policy critical this quick-fix solution to NHS staff shortages has become." Amendments to the legislation governing registration requirements for international Nurses are being considered by the Government following a consultation on streamlining the process in the hope of boosting the numbers of international Nurses registered with the NMC.
At present, all non-EU applicants are required by the NMC to undertake a competency test that covers both numeracy and clinical knowledge.
Adapting The Competency Test Process?
The amended legislation would facilitate the NMC, in limited situations, recognising overseas nursing qualifications if a government-to-government trade deal had taken place; meaning a direct equivalence in the UK for qualifications from certain countries, thus negating the need for competency testing.
Do you think that the competency requirements for overseas nursing candidates should be dependent on the state of government trade negotiations?
The health secretary, Steve Barclay, stated that he wanted NHS bosses, as part of a renewed recruitment drive, to visit countries such as India and the Philippines.
The proposed legislative changes would support the government’s intention to increase overseas nursing recruitment.
‘While this amended legislation gives us greater flexibility for the future, we currently have no plans to move away from the test of competence as our primary route to the register for internationally trained professionals, who make a vital contribution to UK health and care services', NMC assistant director for registrations and revalidation Linda Everet elucidated.
Could This Lead to Unethical Recruitment?
However, the RCN slated the plan as bending the rules to raid other countries of their Nurses, rather than focusing on training and retaining the domestic workforce.
Health Foundation senior visiting fellow James Buchan reports that there will be legislative change to make it easier to recruit Nurses…internationally reinforces just how policy critical this quick-fix solution to NHS staff shortages has become.
The over-reliance of overseas Nurses is something we have covered previously. Is the loosening of requirements simply a case of needs must, given persistent staff shortages and critical shortage of Registered Nurses within the health system?
‘Figures from the nursing regulator show a tenfold increase since the 2019 general election in the number of Nurses joining from countries identified as having the most severe workforce shortages’ said RCN general secretary Pat Cullen.
‘It’s plain to see that an overreliance on overseas recruitment can be harmful to the countries we’re taking from. We will fight ministers if they believe the best way to respond to record numbers of unfilled Nurse jobs – on their watch – is to raid other countries. Rules are being bent to cover up unethical moves’ she added.
We will fight ministers if they believe the best way to respond to record numbers of unfilled Nurse jobs – on their watch – is to raid other countries.
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Nurses.co.uk Founder
I launched Nurses.co.uk (and subsequently Socialcare.co.uk, Healthjobs.co.uk and Healthcarejobs.ie) in 2008. 500 applications are made every day via our jobs boards, helping to connect hiring organisations recruiting for clinical, medical, care and support roles with specialist jobseekers. Our articles, often created by our own audience, shine a light on the career pathways in healthcare, and give a platform to ideas and opinions around their work and jobs.
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Log In Subscribe to commentPraveen Dhilraj
Praveen Dhilraj
2 years agoFor easy recruiting stategiies i feel that those contries .who have candidates with English as their first language in School ... read more
For easy recruiting stategiies i feel that those contries .who have candidates with English as their first language in School the English competency test should be scrapped. Like myself who is going through the revalidation process as i previously worked in the Uk for 8 years and want to get back.Regitered Nuurse.with RMA 4
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Agnes Malcolmson
Agnes Malcolmson
2 years agoNo I do not agree I work in a care home and find it shocking that many of the carers ... read more
No I do not agree I work in a care home and find it shocking that many of the carers and nurses cannot speak or comprhend English very well when staff are speaking and are worse when residents with dementia or hearing difficulties are trying to get attention and these staff misunderstand which causes problems. Nurses must be able to speak with relatives, multi disciplinary team members and more often that not communication difficulties are evident.
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Thanks Agnes. There's a requirement that recruits must meet a certain level of communication skills in order to meet patient care criteria, as you point out. Do you know how those language skills requ... read more
Thanks Agnes. There's a requirement that recruits must meet a certain level of communication skills in order to meet patient care criteria, as you point out. Do you know how those language skills required are measured during the recruitment / selection process at your care home?
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LINDA JOHNSTON
LINDA JOHNSTON
2 years agoUnder no circumstances should the Government scrap competency tests for some international nurses. I feel that being a health visitor ... read more
Under no circumstances should the Government scrap competency tests for some international nurses. I feel that being a health visitor and nurse for nearly thirty years. I feel that the nurses in the uk are trained to a very high standard and continue to pursue intensive training throughout their careers . I feel that this high standard needs to be maintained and it would be grossly unfair if ‘weaker less qualified individuals were permitted to enter the health service leading to bad practice, poor communication and further breakdown of the health service.do not dilute the excellent uk nursing skill set !
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Suzanne Loveridge
Suzanne Loveridge
2 years agoMy experience with imported nurses is we have too many. University training Pre reg should be scrapped and return to ... read more
My experience with imported nurses is we have too many. University training Pre reg should be scrapped and return to an enhanced level of ward based education and a post reg degree on the same lines as the GNC courses. Paid to train highly skilled staff nurses on the day they qualify. Not educated with barely any skills in comparison. But it won’t happen because the RCN and NMC are degree orientated thinking it makes nurses ‘more’ professional🙄I have not needed a degree to succeed. My nursing skill SS and knowledge are not wanting for the lack of a degree. Pay nurses to train with A 3 year requirement to stay within the nhs and a 3 year limit to get a degree they can afford to pay for!
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Amy Dennis
Amy Dennis
2 years agoI’m an “international Nurse” who trained in Australia but was born and raised in the uk. I moved to Australia ... read more
I’m an “international Nurse” who trained in Australia but was born and raised in the uk. I moved to Australia 22 years ago and completed my bachelor of nursing science 15 years ago. I moved back to the uk in 2014 and asked how comparable my degree was to the uk nursing degree and was told that it was almost identical! Why should an English speaking country have to sit OSCE’s is mind blowing! I understand CBT as getting to know the NHS code of conduct is a good thing but going through OSCE’s is rubbish! Iv worked in renal dialysis since uni 15years ago and have to learn about NG tubes, female catheter removal, and enemas when I already have a secured job in HD on passing my OSCE! I just think it’s a money grabbing organisation and should be country and degree assessed, after all if your from the Eau and English is your second language you don’t need to do any of the above! Mind blowing when there are so many of us here wanting to work but it takes over 6 months to get an OSCE exam and weeks after that to get your PIN.
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Very interesting. Ron's making a similar point about IELTS below. Did you raise this OSCE issue with the NMC? I'd be interested to know what they said?
Ron Taylor
Ron Taylor
2 years agoI still think that the IELTS is just a money making process for colleges and universities. What need to be ... read more
I still think that the IELTS is just a money making process for colleges and universities. What need to be done is to provide an English competency test at the interview Also I can honestly say that 60 to 70% of home grown people would fail the IELTS. And I repeat is a money making process these colleges and universities don’t care about the shortage of staff.
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Modupe Oluwayemisi Ayantubo
Modupe Oluwayemisi Ayantubo
2 years agoScraping of English proficiency you is not best but they should make it flexible by accepting Employer reference or letter ... read more
Scraping of English proficiency you is not best but they should make it flexible by accepting Employer reference or letter from school for overseas nurse ,who trained in English, narrowly failed IELTS and still in his or her home country OR reduce the IELTS to band 6 flat by doing this shortage will handled and resolve . Thanks
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Adeola Agun
Adeola Agun
2 years agoWhat NMC has in place right now is the minimum that should be required and if that is further reduced ... read more
What NMC has in place right now is the minimum that should be required and if that is further reduced it will undermine the purpose of recruitment which is to provide timely effective care. I feel more attention should be given to retaining staff and creating better working environment for workers to strive. I dont think it is ethical to go to other countries to coerce them rather should make nursing more attractive. One of the things NMC should borrow is maximizing the nursing associates and nursing assistants as it is being done in Canada and USA where work that can be delegated to nursing aides and assosciate is exclusively done by them and being supervised by the registered nurse thereby giving the RN ample time to devote to nursing.
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I agree