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	At Global Vision Medical we understand how daunting coming to work in the UK can seem, and our aim is to help you through the processes involved, assuring you a profitable and hassle-free migration. If you're looking for work in the UK for the first time - whether you're looking to fund a working holiday or for something more permanent, we've got loads of advice about work permits, how work in the UK healthcare industry may differ and of course, details of jobs available right now! Global Vision Medical is a specialist in medical locums. We don’t deal with any other profession. We work with the British National Health Service and private hospitals to find work for medical professionals from around the world. You can be sure that we can find you just the job you’re looking for. The UK offers more opportunities than ever before. Broaden your horizons and enhance your skills working with new colleagues and seeing different ways of operating. By choosing Global Vision Medical, you can guarantee that your overseas experience will be as rewarding and as stress-free as possible. Our bilingual consultants will assist you at each step, helping with all the form-filling and giving you all the information you need to make the right decision on whether to move to the UK to undertake locum work. Global Vision Medical can help you all along the way. Once you register with us, Global Vision Medical will: • Contact you personally and confirm whether your qualifications are GMC approved • Require that you fax all necessary documentation • Contact the GMC on your behalf and request registration • Find work for you in the UK • Assist with travel arrangements and reservation of accommodation • Provide detailed information on your new location • Be on hand at all times throughout your stay Registration with Global Vision Medical is free. We recruit from throughout Europe and beyond and are committed to offering a quality service. What next? Type of posts and pay rates Locations & Accommodation Immigration & eligibility to work in the UK Police Checks & CRB Registration with the General Medical Council The Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board (PLAB) Test International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Useful Links What Next? At Global Vision Medical we appreciate that every application is different. We will help you through each step, whether you’re looking to leave for the UK tomorrow or next year. Our application process is designed to make everything as painless as possible. Upon registering with us we will advise you of your eligibility and job prospects. We can also assist you with: • Accommodation • Tax efficiency • Travel • Insurance • Bank accounts • Mobile / cell phones • Receiving mail, e-mail and faxes on your behalf. • Other - please ask The following information is provided to give you general guidelines on working as a locum. If you would like to work in the UK, please complete our on-line registration form and one of our international consultants will contact you directly with further information. Once registered with us we will provide you with a 24-hour help-line number. If you would like more information, contact us by e-mail, or use the Call Back service and have us call you today! (Back to Top) Type of posts and pay rates Type of Work: Are you looking for a full time job and putting down roots? Or are you looking to use work to experience different parts of the UK or maybe even to fund a European trip, or something in between. It is important you have the right sort of visa/work permit to be able to take full advantage. For full details of the types of work permits and visas available to you, see the British High Commissions Web site at: www.ukvisas.gov.uk In order to enhance your chances of finding work, we suggest you consider most posts offered to gain valuable UK experience as this will help you obtain a post of your preferred choice for a longer period. Locum posts are a wonderful way to gain experience and earn more money. As a locum you will be employed by Global Vision Medical. Temporary (locum) work is subject to our terms of business and paid and taxed by us directly to you at the hourly rates quoted. You send us a time sheet each week detailing hours worked. We pay weekly directly into your bank account. The advantage of locum work is that it is better paid. Positions can be one off short notice shifts, two to four weeks or sometimes a couple of months. There is no charge to you for finding work. We charge the client. We have exceptional rates of pay and an unbeatable range of jobs to choose from. We will negotiate on your behalf to get you the best possible pay around. However pay does vary depending on levels of qualifications and from region to region. For more detailed information, please contact us NOW! (Back to Top) Locations & Accommodation Locations: We have work opportunities available right across the UK. Although many flights are to London, it is very quick and cheap to get to any of the other major cities by air, road or rail. Fantastic cities such as Manchester, Leeds and Liverpool are around 3 hours drive from Heathrow Airport and you can reach Newcastle, Edinburgh or Glasgow in well under 6. Internal flights are usually no more than 1 hour long and these days are extremely affordable. Rail links to these cities are as short as 1-2 hours! Accommodation: So where will you stay? Some longer-term roles may offer hospital accommodation, but the majority do not. So, where do you start? Don’t worry. We’ll help you get settled when you first arrive with finding accommodation and helping with any other queries you may have. (Back to Top) Immigration & eligibility to work in the UK There are strict rules and legislation governing those wishing to work in the UK from overseas. For useful information and help on UK Entry/Visa requirements visit www.ukvisas.gov.uk Further information can also be obtained from your local British High Commission. At Global Vision Medical we have extensive experience in helping candidates to successfully complete UK Entry requirements. EEC Nationals Nationals of the European Economic Area of European Union are able to work in the UK without restriction. This is called a right of residence. This applies to the following countries: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden. Certificate of Entitlement to the Right of Abode This enables you to live and work in the UK for any amount of time. Most people in this category are Commonwealth citizens who are: • British Citizens by birth, adoption or registration • Descended from a mother or father in the UK Passport and Grandparent Entry Certificate (UK Ancestry) If either of your parents were born in the UK, you could qualify for a British Passport, OR, if you have a British born grandparent, you can apply for a UK Grandparent Entry Certificate, which allows you to stay for up to 4 years. UK Working Holiday Visa The working holidaymaker scheme is an arrangement where a Commonwealth citizen aged between 17 and 30 can come to the United Kingdom (UK) for an extended holiday for up to two years. You will be permitted to work, but will be expected to take a holiday during your stay. You qualify as a working holidaymaker if: • You are a Commonwealth citizen • You want to come to the UK to take employment as an integral part of a working holiday; • You are single or are married to a person who also qualifies as a working holidaymaker and you plan to take the working holiday together • You do not have any dependent children who are aged five years or over, or who will be five before you complete your holiday • You can support and accommodate yourself without help from public funds • You have the means to pay for your return, or onward journey • You plan to leave the UK at the end of your holiday You will need to contact your nearest British High Commission, Consulate or Embassy and ask to have the appropriate application forms sent to you, or you can often download these forms quickly and easily from their web sites (Application Form VAF1 - Non Settlement Visa). (Back to Top) Police Checks & CRB Police Checks: Any medical professional starting a new job in the UK, who will be working with patients, must provide evidence of a recent police disclosure. We recommend that ALL applicants obtain a police clearance certificate from their home country before leaving for the UK. This is carried out by the police by in the home country and involves scanning your name, date of birth and details through the national computer system. For more information and assistance please contact us NOW. Criminal Records Bureau (CRB): This is the new system for UK police checks. It is soon to become statutory and therefore NHS Trusts and private organisations are no longer employing staffs that do not have a CRB disclosure. However these can only be obtained once you have arrived in the UK. Your overseas police check will though be sufficient as an interim measure. We will assist you with this disclosure, checking all the documents and sending the information onto the CRB for processing. (Back to Top) Registration with the General Medical Council Prior to coming to the UK, an overseas doctor will be expected to have a primary medical qualification approved by the GMC. Doctors are also expected to have completed an appropriate period of experience, or internship of not less than twelve months, which is acceptable to the GMC. This is not mandatory but doctors from overseas should be aware that the number of PRHO posts available in the UK is related to the number of doctors graduating from UK medical schools and opportunities are, therefore, limited. The GMC accepts degrees from medical schools, which are on the World Health Organisation list. You must be registered with the GMC before you can work in the UK, but don’t worry. We can help you do that. Registration Categories There are various categories of registration. The main ones are: • Full registration - for doctors who have completed a period of supervised training • Limited registration - for doctors from outside the EU who come to the UK for supervised postgraduate training • Provisional registration - for doctors from the UK and EU in their first year of supervised postgraduate training. Full registration Full registration allows doctors to undertake any kind of professional medical employment in the UK. However, overseas-qualified doctors (except EEA) should note that there will be language test requirements, and work permit regulations to be met if the post is not a hospital training post. There are also additional regulations for entering general practice. Doctors who hold a primary medical qualification recognised by the GMC for the purpose of full registration may apply for full registration. These are doctors who have obtained their primary medical qualification in the UK, in the EEA (provided they are also EEA nationals), or at selected medical schools in the following countries: Australia, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, West Indies and Malaysia before 1990. Enquiries should be made to the GMC at the Registration Division see Checking Overseas Qualifications. Please note that overseas qualified doctors who are applying for Full Registration are required to sit the IELTS test (Academic module) and score 7.0 or above in each band before they can be granted registration. Please note that UK nationals with Overseas/EEA Medical qualifications are required to sit the IELTS Test. Limited registration Overseas-qualified doctors who do not fulfil conditions for full registration should check with the GMC to find out whether their qualification is acceptable for limited registration. At least one year's acceptable pre-registration (internship) training is required and should be completed overseas preferably. Doctors must pass, or be exempt from, the PLAB test. Limited registration may be granted only for employment supervised by a fully registered medical practitioner in training posts in hospitals or other institutions, which have been educationally approved by a Royal College or Faculty (or in Scotland by one of the Regional Postgraduate Committees). Limited registration is granted for up to a total of five years of training (not necessarily five continuous years). In certain circumstances limited registration may be granted for pre-registration house officer posts in the UK, but this is uncommon. It may be possible to transfer from limited registration to full registration if a doctor has demonstrated the ability to practise satisfactorily as a Senior House Officer (SHO) in the UK and/or has made progress towards a recognised higher qualification. A doctor may also be able to transfer to full registration if he or she has 're-qualified', i.e. has taken a University or alternative primary medical qualification in Britain administered by the United Examining Board. Provisional registration This is given to UK doctors who hold qualifications recognised by the GMC for full registration and who are undertaking their pre-registration (internship) year in the UK. After successful completion of their pre-registration year these doctors may convert to full registration. For EEA nationals who have qualified in an EEA member state this type of registration is known as 'pre-registration limited registration'. Checking Eligibility • Overseas Qualifications • IELTS (International English Language Testing System) • PLAB (Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board) Overseas Qualifications For limited registration, the GMC accepts a primary medical qualification from any university or college listed in the World Health Organisation's Directory of Medical Schools: www.who.int/hrh/documents/HRH_documents/en/index1.html Update to 31 December 2002 *Doctors who qualify within the European Union are generally eligible for provisional or full registration on the same basis as UK graduates. (Back to Top) The Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board (PLAB) Test This page will give you an overview about the PLAB. Full and up-to-date details regarding PLAB must be obtained direct from the GMC at www.gmc-uk.org Registration The General Medical Council (GMC) will only grant Limited Registration to an overseas doctor provided that he or she has passed or been exempted from the PLAB test. The doctor's primary medical qualification needs to be acceptable to the GMC for the purpose of Limited Registration. Doctors may be able to enter the UK as visitors for a period of up to six months for the purposes of sitting or re-sitting the PLAB test. Please note that passing the PLAB test will not guarantee the offer of a job in the United Kingdom. There are fewer vacancies in some specialities than in others. Additionally it should be noted that there is almost always a delay of several weeks, possibly months, between passing the test and starting a job. Nature of the test The test assesses suitability to undertake hospital employment at Senior House Officer level (SHO) in a UK hospital by examining the candidate's medical knowledge and clinical and communication skills. The PLAB test currently consists of the following examinations: Part 1 Part 1 of the PLAB test is in Extended Matching Question (EMQ) format. The emphasis of the test is on clinical management and includes science as applied to clinical problems. The test is confined to core knowledge, skills and attitudes relating to conditions commonly seen by Senior House Officers to the generic management of life-threatening situations, and to rarer, but important problems. It will contain 200 questions, divided into a number of themes. The duration of the test will be two and a half hours. For each group of questions there will be a list of options. Candidates are required to select the most appropriate option for each question. One mark is awarded for each correct response, but no marks are deducted for an incorrect answer. Candidates will be required to enter their responses on special answer sheets, which can be read by an optical mark reader. The examination is computer-marked. (Please contact the GMC for further information on the new test). Part 2 Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE). The aim of PLAB OSCE is to test candidates' clinical and communication skills in a number of controlled situations. Fees The current fee for taking Part 1 of the PLAB test is £145, and Part 2 is £430. These fees remain the same for subsequent attempts. Entry fees do not include the £100 scrutiny fee, which was previously paid by PLAB applicants. If you do not pay this fee before entering the PLAB test, you will be liable to pay it when you have passed the test and are applying for Limited Registration. Cancellation fees There is a sliding scale of cancellation charges ranging from £87 to £145 (part 1) and £186 to £310 (part 2): candidates who cancel a test place less than twenty-one days in advance of the test will forfeit their whole test fee. Test centres Part 1 of the PLAB test can be taken in the UK at test centres in London, Birmingham, Edinburgh or Glasgow. Part 1 of the test may also be taken overseas in Bulgaria, Egypt, India, Nigeria, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. A list of specific test dates and centres can be obtained from the GMC or from British Council offices in each of these countries. Part 2 of the test can only be taken in the UK. Re-sitting the PLAB test Part 1: A doctor who has failed severely will not be admitted to re-sit part 1 of the test for at least four months. Part 2: If a candidate fails, they will be sent forms enabling re-application for part 2 of the test. However, if the test is failed at the fourth attempt, the candidate will be required to re-sit the IELTS test and also the whole of the PLAB test. Preparation for the PLAB test Specialist courses for the PLAB test are available in the UK. The courses cover either the combined English and professional component or just the English. The GMC does not inspect these courses and cannot recommend or comment on any particular course. Contact NACPME www.britishcouncil.org/health/nacpme or your local British Council office for details and a list of available courses. PasTest produce publications/learning materials for the PLAB examination. They can be visited at www.pastest.co.uk Specimen papers for the Part 1 (EMQ) test are NOT available. All enquiries about specimen test papers should be directed to the GMC. How to apply for the PLAB test 1. Check you have a primary medical qualification accepted for limited registration. 2. Consider whether you have the appropriate postgraduate clinical experience. 3. Check you have a valid IELTS report with a minimum overall score of 7.0 and minimum scores of 7.0 in the speaking component and 6.0 in the listening, academic reading and academic writing components. You can get information about this test from the British Council's IELTS web site www.ielts.org 4. Complete and return an application form with the appropriate fee to: E-mail: registrationhelp@gmc-uk.org Phone: (+44) (0)20 7915 3630 Fax: (+44) (0)20 7915 3532 Write: Registration Services, General Medical Council, 178 Great Portland Street, London W1W 5JE (Back to Top) International English Language Testing System (IELTS) From January 1997, the IELTS became a prerequisite for admission to the PLAB Test. The IELTS replaced the examination of Comprehension of Spoken English and the written English examination. The PLAB OSCE will continue to assess communication skills for the purpose of medical practice in the UK. This page will give you an overview about the IELTS. Full and up-to-date details regarding IELTS must be obtained direct from the IELTS web site at www.ielts.org Why Do I Need IELTS? Since January 1997, it has been a condition of being granted GMC registration (full or limited) that all applicants who qualified overseas would be required to pass a standard test of competence in English. Competence is measured by sitting the Academic Module of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). All non-EEA doctors are required to sit this examination irrespective of whether the doctor graduated from a medical school where English is the language of instruction. With effect from June 2000 to be eligible to sit the PLAB Test, doctors must achieve an overall IELTS score of 7.0, with a minimum of 6.0 in the Listening, Academic Reading, Academic Writing sections and a score of 7.0 in the Speaking section. Please note that some Royal Colleges require a higher score for the IELTS, for doctors applying for the Overseas Doctors Training Scheme (ODTS). The IELTS examination can be taken in the UK and overseas. Lists of test centres are available from British Council offices in the UK or overseas. What is IELTS? IELTS is a test of English language proficiency. It is a way of assessing the English of non-native speakers who want to study or train using English. The test is offered on demand and measures general language skills and also the skills needed for study and training. It is suitable for undergraduates and postgraduates. For many international students an accurate assessment of their English, followed by recommended tuition to correct problem areas, can mean the difference between success and failure - or between an enjoyable or stressful learning experience. As well as testing candidates, the British Council helps receiving institutions interpret test results and then decide about pre-session English language tuition. The IELTS Web site Please see the IELTS web site at http://www.ielts.org for sample test past papers, etc. Where can I take IELTS? The test can be taken in over 200 centres in more than 100 countries, including thirty centres in the UK. The majority of these centres are in British Council offices overseas. You can contact your local British Council office to find out where your nearest test centre is. www.ielts.org/centres.cfm When can I take the test? IELTS is the only English test not restricted to two or three dates during the year. The service is administered on demand. This means that most centres have a testing session at least once a month and more frequently when necessary. Special testing sessions can also be arranged for particular sponsors or institutions. How do I apply for the test? Contact the test centre to find out the date of the next test and ask for a copy of the IELTS handbook and an application form, fill in the application form and send it back to the test centre with the test fee (details about fees are available from your local test centre). The test centre will then send you the date and time of your test. What does the test consist of? Listening, reading, writing and speaking skills are all tested. All candidates take the same listening and speaking modules. There is a choice of reading and writing modules. If you are going to undertake academic study it is recommended that you take the 'academic' reading and writing modules. If you are going to work or train in the medium of English it is recommended that you take the 'general training' reading and writing modules. You should ask at the test centre to find which is the most appropriate. The tests are taken in the following order: Listening - Thirty minutes Academic reading/general training reading - Sixty minutes Academic writing/general training writing - Sixty minutes Speaking - Eleven to fourteen minutes Total test time - Two hours and forty-five minutes How can I prepare for the test? Many institutions both in the UK and overseas, run short courses to prepare for IELTS. Your local test centre will be able to provide details. The British Council www.britishcouncil.co.uk publishes a set of practice materials called “How to prepare for IELTS”. It includes four full-length reading and writing papers and accompanying cassette. It tells you what to expect from the test and practices the major skills needed to do well. You can buy copies through test centres and bookshops. You can also buy an IELTS Specimen Material Pack www.ielts.org/format.htm#preparation. This includes a full practice test with a cassette and an answer key so you can gain experience of the test and find out how well you are doing. Contact your nearest test centre for more information. How are the test results interpreted? IELTS provides a full picture of a student's ability to use English. Reporting of results: Because the tests are marked at the centre the results are available to you and your institution within two weeks of taking the test. If you require more copies of your results please ask at the test centre. Form of results: Each paper is given a separate Band Score, the four Band Scores are added together and averaged for an Overall Band Score. Each Band has a statement giving a summary of the English at that level. There are nine Band levels, from one (non-user) to nine (expert user). Interpretation of results: IELTS is not a pass or fail test. Assessment is based on the candidate's ability in English and the language demands of the course or training. The British Council has used its experience of placing international students to give guidelines about which band scores would be accepted for particular courses. The British Council also advises on the amount of tuition needed to reach an acceptable language level. The level of ability needed for a course of study, or training is decided by course tutors and admissions officers. This is based on their knowledge of the courses and their experience of overseas students taking them. The scores required vary depending on whether you take the PLAB test or not. This is because doctors who take the PLAB test have an additional assessment of their communication skills in Part 2 of the PLAB test. If you are not taking the PLAB test you need to obtain a minimum score of 7.0 in each of the 4 academic modules (speaking, listening, writing and reading). If you are planning to take the PLAB test you must obtain an overall score of 7.0 with minimum scores of 7.0 in speaking and 6.0 in reading, writing and listening. All doctors must obtain the minimum scores required in one sitting of the IELTS test. You should be aware that the IELTS test as a method for testing language skills is currently under review. It is likely that this work will also consider whether a lower score for those taking the PLAB test continues to be justified. At Global Vision Medical we will help you through the whole process from start to finish. (Back to Top) Useful Links IELTS: www.ielts.org/centres.cfm British Medical Journal: www.bmj.com General Medical Council: www.gmc-uk.org Department of Health: www.doh.gov.uk Doctors Worldwide: www.doctorsworldwide.org National Advice Centre for Overseas Doctors: www.overseasdoctors.com Test your English level: www.learnenglish.org.uk/test_frame.html IELTS test preparation: www.ielts.org/practice.htm Scottish Tourist Board: www.scottishtouristboard.com On-line Yellow Pages: www.yell.com Multimap: www.multimap.com Multilingual Glossary of technical and popular medical terms in nine European languages: http://allserv.rug.ac.be/~rvdstich/eugloss/welcome.html English Medical: www.englishmed.com We can suggest the following books and web sites: The Medic’s Guide to Work & Electives Around the World (ISBN 0340760982) Lonely Planet Guide to Britain (ISBN 0864425783) Lets Go Guide to Britain and Ireland (ISBN 033747429) Books are available from: http://www.amazon.co.uk/ Other useful web sites:- http://www.visitbritain.com/ http://www.moviemap.com/ ht tp://www.holiday.scotland.net/ http://www.visitwales.com/ http://www.ni-tourism.com/ http://www.englishtourism.org.uk/ Scottish Tourist Board: +44 (0) 131 332 2433 Northern Ireland Tourist Board: +44 (0) 1232 231 221 Welsh Tourist Board: +44 (0) 1222 499 909 English Tourist Board: +44 (0) 181 846 9000 (Back to Top)**