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Shake-up of English language requirements go live in February

Changes will make it easier for overseas nurses to pass their English language exam to work in the UK and more could join the NMC register

Changes will make it easier for overseas nurses to pass their English language exam to work in the UK and more could join the NMC register

Changes will make it easier for overseas nurses to pass their English language exam to work in the UK and more could join the NMC register
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Changes to nurses’ English language requirements will come into effect in February.

The amendments will make it easier for overseas nurses to pass their English language exam to work in the UK.

From as early as this week nurses applying to join the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) register will be able to submit supplementary information from their employer as evidence of their English language competence.

They will also be able to combine test results from the two types of exams to pass.

NMC will consider nurses who narrowly missed out on passing the test

Council member Matthew McClelland told an NMC full council meeting on 25 January the changes would mean more nurses and midwives could join the register.

‘We’ll first be writing to all applicants in the queue and those waiting for appeals to notify them that the changes might have impacted on them,’ he added.

The third change, which will see the NMC will consider approving nurses who have narrowly missed out on passing the test, will go live later in the year. The changes will be fully operational by the NMC online by summer 2023.

Consultation on changes saw record response

A consultation on the changes run last year by the NMC saw a record response, with more than 34,000 people taking part.

Everyone joining the NMC register has to demonstrate they are able to communicate well in English, with those training in a country outside the UK where English is not the first language required to take a test.

The changes come as the number of internationally trained nurses joining the register grew to more than 11,400 between April and September last year, four times as many as in 2018.

Nurses must demonstrate ‘good English language skills’

Mr McClelland added that the changes would maintain the highest standards while retaining ‘fair and proportionate’ processes.

He added in a blog post: ‘As our register continues to grow, our role is to make sure nurses, midwives, and nursing associates are equipped to deal with a wide range of complex issues.

‘It’s therefore essential that everyone joining our register can demonstrate good English language skills. This means the public can have confidence those looking after them can provide the safe, effective and kind care they have the right to expect.’


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