Recruitment of European Union general practitioners: developing a process for the analysis of English language training needs

This paper reports on the experience of two English language specialists in the recruitment of European Union (EU) doctors to the National Health Service (NHS). The approach taken to the assessment of English language training needs of the doctors and the development of the process over a period of 18 months during eight recruitment visits to France and Spain are described. The paper goes on to comment on the appropriateness of the English language examination procedure that non-EU doctors have to go through before being registered, and indicates how language specialists could contribute to development of the International GP Recruitment Programme.