Do I need to be fluent in English to practise as a health and social care professional in the UK?
By Gemma Raw
If you’re planning to make the journey to the UK to work as a health and social care professional, you’ll need to have a good understanding of the English language. But what does ‘good’ mean? How fluent must you be, and how will your English language skills be assessed?
English may well be the most spoken language in the world, but it can be a little tricky to learn because the grammar and spelling are not as structured as in other languages. So what does this mean if you’re an international professional?
Must you be 100% fluent in English? Or is there an accepted level of English proficiency that you will need to practise safely?
What you’ll be expected to know
You do not have to know every word in the English language. However, you will need to meet the English language threshold set by the Government. This is to enable you to register with your regulator have your VISA granted and practise as a health and social care professional in the UK.
Currently, regulators accept either the International English Language Test System (IELTS) or the Occupational English Test (OET). Both tests measure your ability to communicate effectively in English.
Essentially, you must achieve the required score in four main areas of your chosen test, including writing, reading, listening and speaking.
•What you’ll need to achieve in the IELTS
•What you’ll need to achieve in the OET
Must all overseas health and social care professionals take an English language test?
No. Depending on your nationality or the country you’re currently practising in, you may be classed as exempt. If this is the case, you will not need to take an English language proficiency test.
Helpfully, there’s a full list of exempt nationalities listed on the Government’s website.
If you’re from a country that’s not on the exempt list, you’ll still need to prove your knowledge of English, even if English is an official language.
What if I need to improve my English language skills?
If you have a basic understanding of the spoken English language but want to improve your writing, reading, and listening skills, Learn English is a fantastic online resource. Created by the British Council, you can access live classes and self-study English online for a small fee each month. You can even access free online IELTS practice tests to measure how successful you’d be on a live test.
Likewise, the London School of English has several award-winning English language courses for you to choose from. Actually, there are quite a few IELTS and OET preparation courses, including a virtual group that runs every Monday and more intensive options if you’d like one-to-one tuition.
If you’re unsure if you’re ready to take a test, please reach out to our International Recruitment Team. We’ll soon let you know what stage you may be at, whether you’re ready, and if not, what you can do to prepare. It’s all part of our pastoral service in helping you find a job and making a move to the UK.
For more information about overseas worker requirements, read our collection of blogs.
