steve`o

lettuce

lapin_windstar

I've just googled a little bit, and it seems as if there's a bit of a logical leap in that argument:

i) Scotland, Wales and NI have powers/areas reserved from UK parliament
ii) ???
iii) England doesn't exist!

Dorothy

GPs, anaesthetists, dentists, pharmacists DO have to do IELTS in order to be registered with the state governing bodies.

lapin_windstar

Don't go bringing facts into it - this involves the Daily Mail! :curse: :curse: :curse:

Dorothy

Sorry. Knuckles duly rapped.

Damson

That was what I was meaning. All of these professions also have to undertake the IELTS tests and, mad as it seems, she has to as well. OH had his qualifications recognised by Engineers Australia having done a 3 year degree course and being member of God knows how many other related bodies and still had to do an IELTS test, like so many others on this forum unfortunately. This sort of thing must be going on all the time. It's just one of those things - no amount of objection by her will do any good I'm afraid. Fortunately she's got the Mail on her side, so I'm sure that will make all the difference!

lapin_windstar

rap? bah, you can't even hear the words any more. it's not like the old days. vera lynn, that lovely man with the ukekele, a warm cup of bovril listening to the Light Programme, vicars on bicycles, Luncheon meat, Bartlett pear halves? Laughing policemen? Clip round the ear? Move along, son! Thruppenny bits? Small boys? Grazed knees? Hmm? Hu-hoo! Witch hazel! Ouch! Ooh! Kiss it better, mummy! Mmm? You know, isn't it? Aww.

bigAPE

This is another bit of hyped media from the Daily Wail and frankly bit of a non-story. It's probably a standard requirement for anyone validating nursing qualifications from other countries to under go an English test.

If this was Canada or the US would the paper be whining like this ? What makes people believe they have any rights in Australia just because they are from the UK. Yes there are some exemptions where the British are given special considerations, like converting your driving license, but this is the case for a number of countries.

Frankly it sounds like these people didn't do their homework before applying for work as a nurse otherwise they would have known in advance what the prerequisites were first. Looks like they assumed that it would be as simple as getting a stamp on a bit of paper. This is Australia and they love their red tape. She's lucky she doesn't have to take a 'Straya translation course.

If politically correct Britain even pulled it's head out of it's pansy floral skirt they would likely do the same with some of their jobs. Before I left I met plenty of people working in and around London who could barely speak English.

Grayling

Should Australia also do the same then....consistently?

There are plenty of people working here who barely speak English......including in hospitals.

G

steve`o

and from personal experiance most of them work for optus
foook me its hard trying to sort out a tech problem with my broadband when only one of us speaks english

Grayling

We had two vietnamese lads who turned up to fit our Foxtel.

One could speak no english at all and the other was just about able to get by.

G

Sammy T

I know the feeling, except my probs are with Bigpond (boo hiss)

Sam

Sammy T

I think one of the problems here is the inconsistency.

My OH had to the IELTS to register as a pharmacist here in Oz, many other professions also have the same criteria. I don't have a problem with it all except that this particular exam was never designed for such purpose. I registered as a nurse and midwife in Tasmania and didn't have to do it - so there is no consistency between the state boards at all, which does kind of make it a little unfair.

Sam

Dorothy

You're right. There should be consistency across the states. Some of the nurses I worked with here in WA had absolutely shocking English. Actually, lack of English would be more accurate. I think for jobs like nursing, pharmacy, pretty much anything medical, an IELTS of at least 7 should be mandatory at the DIAC level and not at the state registration board level.

Sammy T

Yep, I agree.

Have worked with too many staff in the UK, who I cannot understand, let alone the poor patients!
Some years ago, we wanted to move to France but after looking into it, found that we would never get employed within our current professions unless we could speak (listen, write etc) fluently in French. We accepted that was necessary to work as a health care professional in another country, therefore despite taking evening classes etc to improve our ability, we gave up on that idea as we knew we would ever be up to that standard.

So I really fail to see what the problem is with requiring people to demonstrate they have a good working knowledge of the language if they wish to be employed in certain sectors.

Just a shame it is not applied equally.