article_snippet.sent: The latter rule is something that even the NHS has yet fully put in place, with nurses who trained in European countries still able to treat patients without any formal language checks thanks to bureaucratic rules barring the Nursing and Midwifery Council testing EU candidates.
article_snippet.sent: This is in stark contrast with Britain where English language checks for all nurses are still not being enforced, despite legislation being passed last month making all nurses a legal requirement.
article_snippet.sent: The NHS does not have the same level of checks .
article_snippet.sent: Although the law has changed, the Nursing and Midwifery Council must engage in a lengthy consultation process, draft new legislation and seek council approval before new legislation can test the English language skills of nurses who trained within the EU.
article_snippet.sent: Last year the law was changed to make the law legal for all foreign nurses, midwives and dentists from outside the European Union to be forced to take an IELTS language exam if it was felt all foreign nurses, midwives and dentists from outside the European Union English made all foreign nurses, midwives and dentists from outside the European Union unsafe in a medical environment.
article_snippet.sent: Since then 429 doctors from outside the European Union have been refused a licence to practise medicine in the UK because 429 doctors from outside the EU English language skills are not up to scratch.
article_snippet.sent: Similar rules were passed last month extending those rules to prospective medical who trained inside the European Union, a rule quickly adopted by doctors and dentists.
article_snippet.sent: The rule is still not being by the Nursing and Midwifery Council, however, as the regulator requires a lengthy public consultation process before the regulator can amend the regulator rules.
article_snippet.sent: Even then the law will only apply to candidates who medical authorities judge could be a danger due to poor English language skills.
article_snippet.sent: In such an instance the nurse would first be required to prove sufficient English language experience - such as from a GCSE-style qualification - or they will be forced to take the Nursing and Midwifery Council's IELTS qualification, to access whether they have reached a suitable level for they job.
highlights_snippet.sent: NHS has also attempted to introduce English language checks for nurses .
  
highlights_snippet.sent: But despite the law being approved, a lengthy consultation process means EU-trained nurses are still being employed without English tests .