We would like to announce that an interview with EfN will feature in this Saturday’s The Guardian newspaper (08/08/2015).
The piece will cover the work of EfN as well as important issues such as nursing recruitment & the government’s plan to require workers in the public health sector to be able to speak fluent English. We are delighted to be asked for an interview by such a prestigious newspaper and thrilled to be engaged with a larger readership.
Don’t forget to pick up a copy! 🙂
Below is an excerpt from the article:
The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) is following suit. Under EU law the NMC is not currently able to ask for evidence of language skills of those who trained within the EU, but they are about to be given that power. The NHS relies on overseas staff, however, and some have warned that stringent tests could have a negative effect on recruitment. Insisting on “fluent English”, says Sabine Torgler, founder of English for Nurses, which works with several NHS trusts to improve the language skills of overseas nurses, is unrealistic. “To be able to attend an NHS interview, you have to have a good basic understanding of English,” she says, but she would not describe the people she has worked with as fluent. “It takes up to 12 months to be at the stage where you can have a good discussion with your nursing team as well as the medical team, to have a good understanding of the English language – understanding colloquial English as well as medical terminology, and understanding the culture of the NHS. It is not realistic to say you have to come to England and [already] be fluent in English.”
