All new doctors, including those from the EU, should sit the same test to make sure they are 'competent and prepared' to practice in the UK

  • General Medical Council drew up the plans to overhaul entry onto the register 
  • It found that not all doctors felt they were prepared to go straight into work
  • Brexit will help them demand the same standards from overseas doctors
  • Under the present system, each medical school sets its own licensing criteria
  • But new proposals would ask all to answer the same questions for their exams

By STEPHEN MATTHEWS, ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Published: | Updated:

Doctors may have to pass a universal test in order to practise in the UK under new proposals.  

The General Medical Council (GMC) drew up the plans in an attempt to overhaul entry on to the medical register.

It found that not all newly qualified doctors felt they were prepared to practice to the same level after leaving medical school. 

The watchdog also hopes to use Brexit as an opportunity to demand the same standards from all overseas doctors.

Currently, they face either further exams or have no imposed barriers at all depending on where they qualified.

Not all newly qualified doctors felt they were prepared to practice to the same level after leaving medical school, a watchdog found

Not all newly qualified doctors felt they were prepared to practice to the same level after leaving medical school, a watchdog found

Under the present system each of the UK's 32 medical schools sets its own curriculum and licensing criteria.

Terence Stephenson, chairman of the GMC, said: 'That's 32 slightly different ways of determining if a doctor in training is up to entering the profession.

'It can't be right that medicine marks its own homework. So how do we make sure that doctors reach an agreed threshold of competence and preparedness?'

Research by the watchdog revealed some foundation doctors felt unprepared for the step up in responsibility and workload after graduating.

While others were concerned about writing prescriptions and carrying our procedures like taking blood.

Under the Medical Licensing Assessment all UK medical students will have to answer a common bank of questions for their final exams.

Currently, around 35 per cent of doctors working in the NHS qualified overseas - but experts warn their standards are often different (stock)

Currently, around 35 per cent of doctors working in the NHS qualified overseas - but experts warn their standards are often different (stock)

The GMC also hopes that the same test will be sat by doctors attempting to join the medical register wherever they obtain their degree from.

Around 35 per cent of doctors working in the NHS qualified overseas, according to the GMC.

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The document, published earlier this week in the British Medical Journal, said things 'simply cannot continue' the way they are. 

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Under EU laws doctors who qualify from within the European Economic Area (EEA) are entitled to have their qualification recognised in the UK.

Meanwhile those from outside the EEA have to either have a recognised qualification or pass the watchdog's Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board (PLAB) test.

In 2016 there were 1,589 international students who gained registration by passing the PLAB test, while 1,839 international students used other methods, mostly by holding a recognised postgraduate qualification.

There were 2,166 medical graduates from EEA countries who grained registration without 'without any test of their competence due to European law', the GMC said.

Depending on the outcome of negotiations to leave the EU, the GMC may be able to demand that doctors who come from the EEA have to pass the new test.

'Our aspiration is that this assessment should apply to doctors who join the medical register wherever they obtain their degree,' Mr Stephenson said as the watchdog launched a public consultation on the plans.

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