§ 42. Mr. Biggs-Davisonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the proportion of causalty officers and other medical and nursing staff unable to converse fluently, and to write, in English; and what is the policy of the National Health Service in this regard.
§ Sir K. JosephThe appointment of hospital staff, and the assessment of their suitability for the work they will have to do, are matters for hospital authorities. Immigrant doctors must first undertake a period of attachment to a hospital during which their use of English is assessed in clinical situations, unless they are in a category exempted from this requirement under arangements providing other safeguards. Guidance will shortly be issued on orientation arrangements for student nurses from overseas.