Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what English language proficiency requirements apply to (a) registered nurses and (b) care staff working in regulated settings; and how compliance is monitored and enforced.

To practise as a nurse in the United Kingdom, individuals must register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) which sets the standards for both domestic and internationally qualified nurses. All applicants must demonstrate they have sufficient competency in English to communicate safely in clinical settings to meet NMC registration standards.

UK-qualified nurses meet this requirement through an NMC-approved nursing programme. International applicants can show proficiency by providing a recent International English Language Testing System or Occupational English Test score at the required level, completing an English-taught nursing programme with significant patient interaction in English, or having one year of recent practice in a majority English-speaking country.

As an independent regulator, the NMC determines how English language competence is assessed for registration.

Care providers must ensure staff have adequate English skills to communicate effectively. Under Regulation 19 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014, employers are required to only employ ‘fit and proper’ staff to provide care and treatment appropriate to their role. Failure to comply may lead to fixed penalties for providers and registered managers.

Employers and providers should use robust recruitment and monitoring procedures to ensure employees are qualified and competent. NHS Employers guidance requires proportionate English language standards for public-facing roles, and human resources policies should be regularly checked against the English language requirement for public sector workers: code of practice.