Specialist Language Courses

Sharing Best Practices in Pastoral Care Event – London

Pete, RCN and BPP people

During September we were pleased to attend and co-sponsor a fantastic NHS focussed event in London – Sharing Best Practices in Pastoral Care. 

The event was led by Wellington Makala (Chief Nurse)  and Debbie Smith (Nursing Director) of NELFT NHS who are both experts on the topic given that NELFT was a finalist in the Nursing Times Awards for best International Recruitment Experience in 2023 and is shortlisted again this year. 

The event was organised by NEU Professionals and BPP University who also provided the wonderful location at their Portsoken campus in the heart of the city close to the tower of London. 

This event was incredibly well attended with representatives from NHS trusts across the country as well as other guests such as delegates from the Royal College of Nurses, UK Visas and Immigration and the Philippines Nurses Association. 

Sharing Best Practices in Pastoral Care Event – London

In a time where many departments across the NHS (and private sector) are being asked to “do more with less” and with and with strategies and budgets for international recruitment in 2025 being as yet undisclosed by the new government, this event was an excellent opportunity to meet with likeminded leaders and discuss how to give the best possible experience to those joining the NHS from overseas. 

It was heartening to hear about various initiatives across different Trusts, but equally disheartening to understand that in many cases these were projects born out of individual efforts and sense of responsibility rather than systematised well-funded processes. 

There was also a very clear call to action, prompted by work done by the RCN with “Nurse First”, for us to collectively move away from using the term IEN (Internationally Educated Nurse) and simply use nurse wherever possible. There has been a stigma attached to immigration issues politically in the UK and in some cases this has led to circumstances on wards which has left our nurses feeling uncomfortable or unable to practice safely and effectively. Changing our own language and terminology as a show of solidarity and support is an excellent idea – language is a powerful tool! 

On that note, the lack of support around communication skills and English post-NMC registration also came up in multiple conversations and group sessions. While all nurses registered with the NMC (this equally applies to AHPs registered with HCPC and Doctors registered with GMC) have proven they have the advanced level of English required to practice safely and effectively, there are often still gaps in their vocabulary related to professional terms, language specific to the NHS and colloquial English. 

Peter Rodway and Chris Moore from SLC

SLC’s course Living and Working in the UK covers all of these elements and more and has received excellent feedback from initial cohorts using it.  In the course we cover many areas that newly arrived nurses and AHPs have concerns about as well as providing information on professional development, working rights and union membership. 

Importantly we also cover lots of colloquial and idiomatic language that many nurses and AHP’s may not have encountered on their international English exams such as IELTS and OET. 

Here is some feedback from a recent AHP cohort: 

“The course is really useful, I loved learning about different accents and the nuances of how different people speak”  – Pharmacist  

“Personally opened my eyes to some areas I need to work on, what I found most useful is the various idiomatic ways of expression” – Pharmacist 

Living and Working in the UK – Nurses Edition and Living and Working in the UK – AHP Edition  are both available now on a free organisation-branded learning platform. Please get in touch for a free demo or to review the course. 

We are also pleased to announce that Living and Working in the UK – Doctors and GPs edition is coming very soon so watch this space! 


BOOK A COURSE DEMO


REVIEW THE COURSE FOR FREE