Is the NHS still "Fit for purpose"

www.nmc.org.uk/registration/joining-the-register/english-language-requirements/accepted-english-language-tests/

www.gmc-uk.org/registration-and-licensing/join-the-register/before-you-apply/evidence-of-your-knowledge-of-english

It's definitely bad in the Mental Health arena - especially in London. We struggle daily trying to understand and also trying to get the contacts we speak to to understand when just trying to get updates on our son who is currently having a bad time - mentally.

Sadly many many good people have left the MH area due to burnout and there is a huge struggle to get staff in that domain. Mind you the pay is not that great at the level of staff we speak to. There is a huge issue with the lack of staff in that they are so overloaded due to the lack of staff.

I can think of a few native speakers who may struggle...

takeielts.britishcouncil.org/teach-ielts/test-information/ielts-scores-explained

Even if we say it isn't, it IS way above the levels that have been suggested here.

It's certainly more than good enough to study for a first degree at a UK university, about the level to study for a postgrad.

www.ukuni.net/articles/ielts-requirements-applying-uk-university

Yes in terms of technical accuracy such as grammar, spelling and depth of vocab it may be a reasonable standard. But, I speak from experience knowing a group of level 7s as it was (or is still?) a requirement for certain types of new settlers.

Its hard to "click" with such a person as you may unwittingly use a simple word in a very particular way that may not be picked up on. That could be contextual or even bordering on the use of slang. Either way it often takes 2 or 3 times to explain to that person _exactly_ what you mean whereas if you said such a thing to a native speaker they would immediately "get you".

In an environment like a hospital, patients like to feel empathy and it may be harder (definably not impossible) to achieve that from someone whose first language is not english. Thinking about this a bit more, it may also be cultural too which no doubt also adds to the barrier.

I'm definitely not saying we shouldn't recruit nurses/doctors from abroad but its not ideal. Not for the doner country either. And as an aside I think we train a higher calibre of doctor here due to (as has been said upthread), them wanting to keep the numbers so small thus selecting only the brightest and most studious at age 18. 

No, but unless the UK government removes the artificial cap on training new medics, it's the only option.


If we're going on about the poor English of others, then "donor". "Doner" is a kebab.

"There is a huge issue with the lack of staff ......."   I'm not surprised, if my experience still holds true.

Back in January 1978, I remember applying for my first job in London at the old "Mental Hospital" in Friern Barnet, it's now been converted to luxury flats.

The interview was going swimmingly, I was keen and ready to start, until they said something like "We have to inform you that you might get attacked and hurt on the job, and if so there's no insurance or compensation" or somesuch.

Of course it freaked me a bit and I skiddaddled out of there pronto.

If the same conditions of employment still apply today I'm gobsmacked that anyone would want to work in the "Mental Health" arena.

As I was typing my previous post the phone rang and showed up as "GP Surgery"
so I answered "this is XX from yy surgery is that ZZ"
yes thats me

can you confirm your date of birth
dd/mm/yy

excellent i'd like to arrange for you to come in for your flu jab
Oh I had that about 6 weeks ago

Where
At the surgery one of the nurses did it

oh OK we don't have access to the system they are using sorry to have wasted your time

in a nutshell that's one of the problems the NHS has, far to many discrete systems that can't interconnect