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There has been much recent debate on both media and professional
forums following the Ubani case.
It is indeed extremely tragic that it took the death of a patient to
highlight the severe flaws and failings of the current British healthcare
system in handling the recruitment of European locums.
There are undoubtedly weak and strong figures in our profession and a
simple medical degree check by the GMC will not filter those who lack the
knowledge or clinical skills necessary to undertake our noble profession.
It is also difficult (if not impossible!) to assess these skills in an
objective way even with a face-to-face interview.
It is doubtful that this issue is due to the fact that these
graduates were trained outside the UK. There are strong international
regulations in place in order to harmonise the standards of medical
training between the EU member states making little difference (if any) in
medical education.
I understand that under European regulations, the medical regulatory
body cannot check the applicants’ language skills but nothing stops the
employer (PCT or NHS Trust) to do so!
This final check should reside with the Trust employing the locum
doctor and on this particular aspect the old-fashion personal interview
had its advantages!
I personally feel that the authenticity check of the medical degree
should be undertaken by the GMC leaving the language and technical skills
to be checked by the employer before proceeding with the remainder of the
recruitment process. This should be performed regardless whether they
trained within or outside the EU.
One essential pillar of the European spirit and British society is
multi-culturalism. The road to it is often difficult, sometimes painful
but well worth taking!
Competing interests:
JPB trained in a EU country and has written a corresponding letter on a similar topic published in the BMA News (20/02/2010).
Competing interests:
No competing interests
12 April 2010
Janos P Baombe
doctor
Emergency Department, Manchester Royal Infirmary, Oxford Road, M13 9WL
European locums are generally recruited at short notice by the
Primary Care Trusts in UK, usually via email-transmitted curriculum vitae
and references , and perhaps a brief conversation between a relatively
junior member of their personnel department and the applicant. These
conversations are rarely recorded and monitored specifically for the
purpose of potential locum's competence in the English language [not to
speak of the incomprehensible accents of some candidates].
We also hear that the authenticity of referees is not validated in
all cases.
These are the issues which the employers of all locums and the UK
General Medical Council need to address as a matter of urgency.
Why has it taken a number of tragic disasters to wake up the House of
Commons Select Committee, GMC and the PCTs to declare their intention to
remedy a problem that has to general knowledge existed for several years.
Don't ask the Department of Health in England anything about this
serious situation; they usually pass the buck to the employing Trusts.
Isn't life easy at the top?
Competing interests:
I graduated overseas but trained in the UK.I have been at the receiving end of emergency medical care from someone other than my own GP.
European locums recruitment: Time for a change?
There has been much recent debate on both media and professional
forums following the Ubani case.
It is indeed extremely tragic that it took the death of a patient to
highlight the severe flaws and failings of the current British healthcare
system in handling the recruitment of European locums.
There are undoubtedly weak and strong figures in our profession and a
simple medical degree check by the GMC will not filter those who lack the
knowledge or clinical skills necessary to undertake our noble profession.
It is also difficult (if not impossible!) to assess these skills in an
objective way even with a face-to-face interview.
It is doubtful that this issue is due to the fact that these
graduates were trained outside the UK. There are strong international
regulations in place in order to harmonise the standards of medical
training between the EU member states making little difference (if any) in
medical education.
I understand that under European regulations, the medical regulatory
body cannot check the applicants’ language skills but nothing stops the
employer (PCT or NHS Trust) to do so!
This final check should reside with the Trust employing the locum
doctor and on this particular aspect the old-fashion personal interview
had its advantages!
I personally feel that the authenticity check of the medical degree
should be undertaken by the GMC leaving the language and technical skills
to be checked by the employer before proceeding with the remainder of the
recruitment process. This should be performed regardless whether they
trained within or outside the EU.
One essential pillar of the European spirit and British society is
multi-culturalism. The road to it is often difficult, sometimes painful
but well worth taking!
Competing interests:
JPB trained in a EU country and has written a corresponding letter on a similar topic published in the BMA News (20/02/2010).
Competing interests: No competing interests