EU doctors need more stringent language tests, according to Kate Bleasdale,executive vice chairman of medical staffing specialist Healthcare Locums (HCL).

Bleasdale’s comments follow a survey by Pulse newspaper, which found across 35 primary care trusts (PCTs), just 23% of EU doctors underwent language tests, meaning 300 had not. Of the 20 PCTs that provided details on clinical competence, only 17% of doctors were tested, while 74 trusts disclosed they had no data on the checks.

Bleasdale told Recruiter: “Currently, over a third of doctors registered with the General Medical Council were trained overseas. With a growing and ageing population, the UK is clearly reliant on highly skilled overseas professionals.

“Demand for international doctors is only going to increase in the UK in the years to come. What is needed is a reform of the current system whereby doctors who come to the UK from the EU do not have to pass the same highly stringent English language tests as those from outside the EU.

“Credible and compliant recruitment agencies like HCL will always screen all candidates rigorously for fluency in English before putting them forward to any client, NHS or otherwise. However, there is no doubt that reform of the system would be helpful in reassuring patients that there is a mandatory legal standard that applies across the board.”