15.11.13
Language checks confirmed for EU doctors
The General Medical Council (GMC) has welcomed an EU agreement on safety checks for foreign health professionals.
The move means the GMC will check the language skills of all health professionals moving to the UK from Europe. A new alert system will also be introduced, letting health regulators know when a doctor has been removed from its register, or has their practice restricted.
Niall Dickson, chief executive of the GMC, said: “This is a good day for patients. With our partners in Europe we have worked hard to bring about these changes which will close a serious gap in our regulatory defences.
“Alongside changes to current UK law in 2014, they will give us the ability to check the language skills of doctors coming to work here from Europe. The new alert system is also a big step forward. If we are to protect patients, free movement of professionals must be accompanied by free movement of information.”
Member states will have two years to introduce the changes.
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