healthmedicinet

”Surely you’ve got to be clinically competent and communicate in the
language.”

The GP added: ”Non-EU doctors are tested for both clinical competency and
language competency before they’re registered in the UK, so it can be done.
If it can be done for non-EEA why not for EEA.

”Why not just have the same system for all overseas doctors where they’re
just tested at the point of registration.”

Dr Ubani admitted being exhausted after getting only a couple of hours sleep
before starting his shift in the UK, and said he was confused about the
difference between drugs used here and in Germany.

His poor English meant he was refused work by the NHS in one part of the
country but was later accepted in Cornwall.

Dr Gray’s brother, Rory Gray, said: ”Ubani was actually found in a German
court to be a charlatan, so simple clinical competency tests would find that
out immediately – whether it’s a charlatan or a properly qualified competent
doctor.”

The new rules were announced in February after several other cases in which
foreign doctors were said to have provided sub-standard care.

Those coming to the UK from outside the EU already face strict language tests.

But doctors from within the European Economic Area have previously been able
to be registered to work in the NHS without being asked if they can speak
English properly.