Page 10 - ELG1801 Jan Issue 453

NEWS .

Will a vocational English test pr

to overseas’ nurses woes?

Ielts teacher Warren Turner asks whether
the Occupational English Test will answer
the prayers of overseas nurses hoping to
work in the UK

A recent decision to accept the Rachel Overfield, director of
Occupational English Test (OET) nursing at the health authority,
as proof of competence in English was unequivocal in her
may come as welcome news assessment. ‘The reason is we
for many overseas healthcare just can’t get them through the
professionals hoping to work in International English Language
the United Kingdom. Test,’ she told a local newspaper.
However, there are doubts over Following a recent review by
whether the new certification will the NMC, native speakers, many
be accessible or affordable for all of whom failed to reach level 7
would-be test-takers. Prior to in writing, are no longer required
the decision by the Nursing and to take Ielts. Nurses who have
Midwifery Council (NMC), nurses worked for a period in English-
and midwives from outside the speaking countries are also
EU had the sole option of taking exempt.
the Ielts Academic exam, with a However, Ielts continues to
requirement of an overall band 7. take its toll on those who arrived
The obligation on overseas health in the UK to work as hospital
workers to take Ielts was in itself a healthcare assistants with a view
relatively new development. to joining the nursing staff once
It came after former minister the test had been passed.
Matthew Hancock introduced Ielts teachers report meeting
new regulations that required experienced and qualified nurses The NHS is hungry for quali ed staff
‘foreign nationals employed in who have endured months –
customer-facing public sector in some cases even years – of been cited as a significant turn-off city of Santiago de Compostela.
roles … to speak a high standard frustration in narrowly missing for some students. And despite In the United Kingdom, just eight
of English’. out on level 7 time and time again, the expected higher pass rate, test centres across six towns and
The difficulty involved in despite a high level of competence there is no certainty, even for Ielts cities in England and Scotland
getting that crucial level 7 has in communicative English. students who are tantalisingly were ready to receive test-takers
come at a price for UK recruiters. For frustrated healthcare close to achieving level 7. in November. That left out the
Many promised jobs to workers assistants and hospitals facing As Janeen Gardiner of entirety of Northern Ireland and
from Europe, the Philippines and staff shortages, the new pathway Cambridge Boxhill Language Wales, while the East and West
elsewhere on the understanding to language certification offered Assessment – owners and Midlands were covered by just
that they would attain the Ielts by the OET, effective from administrators of the OET – said, one test venue in somewhat out-
grade – only to find the actual November, looks to be a huge lift. ‘It is not easier than Ielts, it’s of-the-way Melton Mowbray.
uptake of jobs to be far lower. The exam body offers tests based different.’ In defence of the OET, four new
To give a flavour of the problem, on a dozen healthcare specialisms, Cambridge Boxhill Language test centres are expected to open
in July of this year Walsall including nursing, and it is widely Assessment is partially owned
Healthcare NHS Trust revealed expected that those put off by Ielts by Cambridge English Language
that, of 100 Filipino nurses taken will find the new subject matter to Assessment, which is part of the
fewer £ 335
on the previous year following be more engaging and motivating. Ielts syndicate.
interviews in their home country, Nursing recruiters who Respondents to the NMC
only three had arrived. responded to the NMC’s language report also highlighted
41% currently test Cost of taking
almost
consultation
were
the fact that there are
unanimous in their support for the
new exam, with one NHS trust
centres for the new exam
than for Ielts. There are
director of nursing commenting,
‘It is more role-specific, and I feel
a large number of test
That said, the test is unlikely
supply nurses to Australia,
Proportion of native speakers would result in a higher pass rate.’ centres in countries that the Occupational
in any profession taking Ielts to provide a panacea for the for example the Philippines, English Test
who pass the accepted level 7 health sector. The cost of taking which has nine. But there are
few in Europe. Spain has only
the test – $587, or about £335
in all four areas at current conversion rates – has one test centre in the far-flung
10 December / January 2018