HOW TO MOVE TO THE UK TO PRACTICE AS NURSE WITHIN 6 MONTHS

I have had many colleagues asking me to show them how to move to the UK to practice as a registered nurse. To answer the many questions that keep coming every now and then, I have decided to put this into writing. This will be freely available to everyone with access to the internet. External links have been imbedded for further reading and support if needed.  

The process of getting registered as an oversea trained nurse in the UK is an amazingly simple and straightforward process but without the right information, many have had to rely on the services of recruitment agencies who charge quiet exorbitant fees for no services done at all.  

Therefore, if you are fortunate enough to be reading this article, be kind to share to your colleagues. It is not meant to be secretive because there are enough spaces for all.  

To start with, the process of getting registered does not strictly follow an ordered scheme but it is always a wise decision to search the website of the NMC UK website as preliminary process. Below is the part one of an itemized process to explain the registration process. You should know that I have also used this route to become a registered nurse in the UK and it took me less than 6months to arrive at the UK. Before that, I did not have any information about any of the process, I will be showing you. Remember this is not new, every oversea trained nurse may have gone through this process to be registered with the NMC UK

First of all, familiarize yourself with the NMC UK website, to find out if you are ready to join the register. This page will also guide you through the registration process and explain the eligibility criteria for your registration. Click on get the pre-registration checklist, as a self-check tool for your readiness to join the UK NMC register. This will take you less than two minutes to complete. As a registration requirement, you will have to show evidence that you have no criminal records. You can obtain this certificate at a fee, from the Ghana Police CID headquarters in Accra if you are in Ghana. You do not need to have this certificate at the start of your registration. I always recommended that candidates should only obtain this at the tail end of their registration because it is only valid for 6 months.

Next, if you do not have a passport, this is the time to get one. It is the only document the NMC-UK will accept for verification purposes. You can apply for your passport using the online passport application portal. If for some reasons, you have different names on any of your documents, you will have to supply evidence of name change. Get this ready before you start your initial verification processes. You should also know that your current registration with an approved Nursing and Midwifery regulatory body must be valid at the time of registration. You should also renew your PIN before you start your initial registration. You will have to supply further information about your health. You will have to supply the information about your registered medical practitioner or occupational health department for this purpose. However, this can also wait until when you are ready for the final stages of your registration as it can also expire. You do not need to have an indemnity arrangement before your registration. If you already have, that is fine. 

Next, create your NMC Online account and complete the eligibility and qualifications registration. Once you are satisfied with the checklist above, then you are ready to start your application. You will need to create an NMC Online account and complete the eligibility and qualifications questionnaire. You should be ready with information about your regulatory council (NMC Ghana, for Ghanaian trained nurses) Professional registration, educational qualifications, your passport ID, and an evaluation fee of £140. Once you have completed, paid and submitted your evaluation form, the NMC UK will aim to complete your eligibility assessment within 14 working days. Remember that your current professional regulatory body will be contacted. It is important to note that, with a valid registration with the nursing and midwifery regulatory body in your home country, you can send application for registration in any field of nursing, but the NMC UK will have to evaluate your eligibility and you will be required to pass a test of competence in your chosen field once you are evaluated to be eligible. You will be emailed about the council’s decision about your evaluation. 

Remember that it is your responsibility to contact the Nursing and Midwifery regulatory body of your home country about your application. In some countries, you will have to pay some fees for this process before you will be verified. For instance, if you are in Ghana, you will have to pay an approved foreign verification fee to the NMC Ghana. And if you were once bonded by the Government, you will have to obtain clearance from the ministry of Health before the NMC-Ghana can go ahead with your verification.

Time to Write an English Language Assessment and Test of Competence.  Upon a successful evaluation, the NMC-UK will send you an email with further information. This will include guidance on English Language Assessment and Test of Competence. As a nurse practicing in a non-English Language speaking country, you will need to supply evidence that you are competent enough to practice safely and professionally in English Language. At present, only two English Assessment Tests are accepted by the NMC-UK. These are OET and IELTS.  Remember that you will be writing IELTS Academic to be valid.

To have passed the IELTS, you will have achieved an overall band score of 7 or better, and an individual score of not less than 7 in reading, speaking, listening and at least 6.5 in writing. Alternatively, you may combine two IELTS results if both have at least a band score of not less than 6.5 in any test.  

There is currently an ongoing public consultation which may lead to a review of the current English language requirements. You may also leave your feedback here, until the 12th of August 2022. In Ghana, I am only aware of only IELTS Centre with the British Council Ghana. I found useful information about IELTS on the following site

a. IELTS

b. IELTS Asia

c. IELTS Liz 

d. IELTS advantage 

c. IELTS Buddy  

The IELTS result expires within 2years and so is the requirement to pass all test of competence.  

It is possible to write your IELTS and CBT concurrently, however most people find meeting the requirements for the IELTS a daunting task, so it is important to know this before deciding where to begin. Most people prefer to pass their IELTS before anything else. If you find that passing IELTS maybe difficult for you, please consider passing it first.  

You should know that CBT is a computer Based Test which means an assessment of your clinical competence delivered through a computerized exam. This is the Test of competence Part 1. You do not need to be a computer literate to pass this exam. All you need is your clinical skills and knowledge. I will be providing you with top tips on how to pass your CBT in an article specifically devoted to it.

I will aim to explain the next steps after passing IELTS and CBT in my next article on this topic. Until then, kindly share

 

Authored by Kwame Awiagah 

The author is the founder and Editor of www.medhealth.info. He is also a member of the Ghana Medical Journalist Association, member of World Federation of Science Journalist, and a member of the Royal College of Nursing-UK. He holds a bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University for Development Studies, Ghana, MPhil in Medical Microbiology from the University of Ghana and currently enrolled in a Post Graduate Certificate Course in Infectious Disease Modelling: Mathematical Techniques at the University of Oxford, UK. Mr. Awiagah is registered with NMC-UK and Ghana respectively and currently working at an intensive care unit as registered nurse in a leading UK NHS Trust. 

Contact: awiagah@medhealth.info/ awiagahsherrif@gmail.com