NMC proposes changes to English language test.

UK's Nursing and Midwifery Council (in short NMC) requires an IELTS 7 (which is the proficiency level of the International English Language Testing System) for all applicants to their Nursing and Midwifery register who trained outside of the EU, regardless of which country they are from or whether they came from an English speaking country. That pass rate also holds for Filipino nurses and midwives.

Next to the Brexit, in the past years, tough English language tests have been blamed for the sharp drop in EU, Indian and Filipino nurses arriving to work for the NHS (National Health Service) in the UK.

NMC has consulted widely with stakeholders and heard that despite being able to communicate to a high level in English, many nurses and midwives from outside the UK taking the IELTS were just missing out on achieving a overall band score of 7, especially due to the tough writing test.

Now NMC considers a proposal through which nurses and midwives will be required to continue to achieve a minimum overall level of 7 in the IELTS test, but a level of 6.5 in writing would be accepted alongside a level 7 in reading, listening and speaking.

This improved access for much needed nursing talent in the UK, will certainly be good news for the thousands of Filipino nurses aspiring to work for the National Health Service in the UK.

As per our information, this change will be effective from 1st January 2019.

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