Hospital Authorities Receive Complains About Language Skills Among Foreign Doctors

It has been reported that the level of English among some foreign doctors is very poor that they cannot communicate well with the patients. Several patients and staff members have complained about this problem to the hospital authorities. 88,327 doctors out of Britain's 239,000 qualified medics are trained overseas. Doctors from India and Pakistan have similar training to doctors from England, however due to changes in the NHS recruitment process and the drop in the value of the pound many doctors now prefer to work in countries like Australia and New Zealand.

The application process for consultants involves testing their English and communication skills with simulation of a meeting with a patient. But authorities cannot keep a check on the language skills of locums who work on a temporary basis at hospitals. Since a long time the British Medical Association (BMA) has asked for language and competency tests for foreign doctors but this cannot be implemented as it would mean contravention of freedom to travel and work law of the EU.


Source-Medindia