Investigating concerns about language competence

Overview

When we investigate concerns about a nurse or midwife’s knowledge of English, we can direct them to take a language assessment.

In such cases we use the outcome of the assessment as our key evidence about the nurse or midwife’s fitness to practise.

How do we direct nurses and midwives to take language assessments?

We give a direction for them to take a language assessment in writing.
We will request that the test be taken by a specific date and that the nurse or midwife give us the within a timeframe of around 60 days, depending on the circumstances of the case. For example, we could extend the time if a nurse or midwife needed a reasonable adjustment to allow them to take the assessment.

Usually we specify that the test should be an assessment provided by IELTS. However, if the nurse or midwife chose to obtain their own assessment provided by OET we would also accept the result.

What happens if the nurse of midwife doesn’t comply?

If we direct a nurse or midwife to take a language test, but they don’t do it, or don’t give us the results, we can use this as evidence that they are not fit to practise because they don’t have the necessary knowledge of English.
This is because the Fitness to Practise Committee can draw conclusions from the nurse or midwife’s failure to follow our direction to them to do the test and give us evidence of the result.¹