Work in the UK

Registration with GMC

The General Medical Council (GMC) registers doctors to practise medicine in the UK.
Under UK law, all doctors who practise medicine in the UK must be registered with the GMC and hold a licence to practise.

On 16 November 2009 the GMC introduced the licence to practise. To practise medicine in the UK all doctors are required by law to hold both registration and a licence to practise.

This applies whether you practise full time, part time, as a locum, privately or in the NHS, or whether you are employed or self-employed.

The Role of the GMC

The purpose of the General Medical Council (GMC) is to protect, promote and maintain the health and safety of the public by ensuring proper standards in the practice of medicine.
The law gives the GMC four main functions under the Medical Act 1983:

• keeping up-to-date registers of qualified doctors
• fostering good medical practice
• promoting high standards of medical education and training
• dealing firmly and fairly with doctors whose fitness to practise is in doubt

Pre-Registration

Doctors wishing to work in the UK must meet a set of basic requirements in terms of primary medical qualifications, English language proficiency and a fitness to practice. Before registered with the GMC doctors should also be aware of the immigration and visa requirements for the UK.

Primary Medical Qualification

The GMC regards most, but not all, of the primary medical qualifications listed in the Avicenna directorry of medical schools as acceptable for the purposes of obtaining GMC registration with a licence to practise. For more information, contact one of our Recruitment Consultants

English Language Requirements

If you are an International Medical Graduate seeking registration with a licence to practise, you must satisfy the GMC of your knowledge of English. The exceptions to this are:

• Nationals of member states of the European Economic Area (EEA) other than the UK
• Swiss nationals who since 1 June 2002 benefit under European law
• Anyone with an EC right.

IELTS Test

To satisfy the GMC that you have the necessary knowledge of English you couldmust submit an original IELTS certificate showing:

• That you have taken the academic version of the IELTS test.
• That you have obtained an overall score of 7.0, with minimum scores of 7.0 in each area tested(speaking, reading, listening, writing)
• That you obtained these scores in a single sitting of the test.

You can find further information about IELTS by speaking with one of our Recruitment Consultants

Alternative Evidence

Proof of alternative evidence of English Language proficiency that the GMC accept changes from 1st February 2011. To find our alternative evidence you could provide of your English proficiency contact one of our Recruitment Consultants

Fitness to Practice

You will be asked to provide details of your registration and licensing for all the medical regulatory authorities of any countries where you have practised or have held registration or a licence in the last five years, even if you have not practised there.
Certificates of good standing (CGS) that you provide from countries that you are no longer working in must cover all of your experience in that country, otherwise you will be asked to provide an up to date CGS, which will delay your application. Direct Medics can provide you with contact details of the relevant medical regulatory authority in the country you have worked.

Immigration & Visas

Most EEA/ Swiss Nationals will have the right to live and work in the UK. For further information contact one of our Recruitment Consultants.
If you are not an EEA or Swiss National or a family member of, have been offered a skilled job in the UK and your prospective employer is willing to sponsor you, you can apply to come or stay here to do that job. Alternatively, you can apply to enter or  stay in the UK if you pass a points-based assessment

Tier 1

The Tier 1 (General) category allows highly skilled. to look for work or self-employment opportunities in the UK.

Unlike sponsored skilled workers (who are covered by Tier 2 of the points-based system), you do not need a job offer if you are applying as a highly skilled worker. When you apply, you are awarded points based on your qualifications, your previous earnings, your UK experience, age, your English language skills and your maintenance (funds).

You can apply to extend your stay in the UK under Tier 1 (General) if you are already here:

• with permission to stay (known as 'leave to remain') in an immigration category that allows you to switch into Tier 1 (General);
• under Tier 1 (General; or
• under the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme (HSMP), and you are eligible to switch into Tier 1 (General);

Tier 1 (General) is now closed to migrants who are overseas
Full information can be found on UK Border Agency website at http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/

Tier 2
 
Tier 2 (General) is for people coming to the UK with a skilled job offer to fill a gap in the workforce that cannot be filled by a settled worker.

If you are a national of a country outside the EEA or Switzerland (except Turkey - see below), you will need to apply under the points-based system. You must:

• have a job offer from a licensed sponsor and a valid certificate of sponsorship; and
• pass the points-based assessment.

When you apply you are awarded points based on your:

• qualifications;
• future expected earnings;
• sponsorship;
• English language skills; and
• available maintenance (funds). 

Full information can be found on UK Border Agency website at http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/

• If you are a Turkish citizen and you are already in the UK with a visa that gives you the right to work, you may have certain rights under the European Community Association Agreement with Turkey. For more information, please visit the UK border Agency website at http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/workingintheuk/turkish/workers/

Immigration Health Check

Residents in the following countries applying for a visa to come to the UK for longer than 6 months need to get a certificate confirming that they are free from infectious Tuberculosis (TB) before applying for a visa:

• Bangladesh
• Ghana (which also takes applications from Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Togo and Niger )
• Kenya (which also take applications from residents of Eritrea, Somalia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Uganda (visitor applications) and Tanzania)
• Pakistan
• Sudan
• Thailand (which also takes applications from Cambodia and Laos).

Immigration Police Check Forms

To protect the integrity of the visa system and population from fraud, the UK Border Agency requires every visa applicant around the world to enrol their fingerprints, and to have a digital photograph taken when they make a visa application.