Ralph M. Steinman
http://lab.rockefeller.edu/steinman/dendritic_intro/
Born: 1943, Montreal, Canada
Died: 30 September 2011 (Cancer pancreas)
Affiliation at the time of the award: Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
Prize motivation: "for his discovery of the dendritic cell and its role in adaptive immunity"
(Never received recognition from Canadian Government and Quebec)
04 October 2011
UK DAILY MAIL: ENGLISH TEST FOR FOREIGN DOCTORS
Language test for all foreign doctors: Law will bar medics who can't speak English
By Daniel Martin
Foreign doctors will be barred from treating patients unless they have a good grasp of English under tough rules to be announced by Andrew Lansley today.
The Health Secretary will pledge to end the scandal which has seen 23,000 doctors from Europe registered to work in the NHS – despite never having been asked if they can speak the language properly.
A new law will give trusts the statutory duty to check the English language skills of all new overseas doctors before they are employed by the Health Service.
Failure to pass the language test will see them prevented from taking a job in an NHS hospital or a GP surgery – ensuring patients are treated by doctors they can understand, and who can understand them.
Last year, a report by the Commons Health Select Committee concluded that the failure to ensure GPs on out-of-hours shifts can speak English had cost lives.
Three years ago, pensioner David Gray died after being treated by out-of-hours locum Dr Daniel Ubani, who was exhausted after having flown in from Germany. He was allowed to treat patients despite having a poor grasp of English.
Doctors’ language skills are not yet routinely tested because Britain sticks rigidly to an EU directive which outlaws checks on overseas GPs’ language skills – while France flouts it.
More...'Sometimes doctors do things that patients don't think necessary': What GP 'told disabled patient as he indecently assaulted her'
15,000 NHS nurses fear redundancy as they reveal cuts are damaging patient care
The ban is even enshrined in British law: The 1983 Medical Act, brought in by Margaret Thatcher. Mr Lansley will repeal the parts of the Act which stop trusts from testing foreign doctors’ English.
Under the new scheme, all trusts will have to appoint a ‘responsible officer’ whose job will be to test the language skills of all foreign doctors applying to work there.
He or she must also ensure the applicant is trained to UK standards and understands how the NHS works.
Minister: Andrew Lansley is set to introduce new rules for foreign doctors
Ministers are confident the new rules will be drawn up in such a way that Britain will be able to circumvent the EU directive – and protect the safety of patients.
Mr Lansley said: ‘There is considerable anxiety amongst the public about the ability of doctors to speak English properly.
‘After 13 years of inaction from Labour to tighten up language controls, we will amend the legislation to prevent all foreign doctors with a poor grasp of English from working in England. If you can’t speak adequate English, you can’t treat patients.’
Currently only doctors from outside Europe are routinely scrutinised for their language skills before being able to register with the General Medical Council, the doctors’ watchdog.
But European law prevents the GMC from vetting the language skills of doctors from within Europe, because it conflicts with the European ideal of the free movement of people.
It has led to the farcical position where doctors from English-speaking countries such as Australia and Canada face tougher language tests than those from Italy and Lithuania.
Ministers plan to sidestep the directive by putting the onus on trusts – and not the GMC – to check language skills.
The ‘responsible officers’ will also have to ensure that the doctor has the right qualifications to work in the NHS – and that appropriate references are obtained and checked.
Consultation: Rigorous new tests will ensure that GPs can speak sufficient English (picture posed by models)
There will also be a new power for trusts to refer a doctor to the GMC if they have concerns that their poor language skills could put patients at risk.
Mr Lansley plans to legislate to give the GMC explicit new powers to take action against doctors when there are concerns about their ability to speak English.
In his speech, the Health Secretary will say: ‘We will amend the Medical Act to ensure that any doctor from overseas who can’t use a decent level of English is not able to treat NHS patients.
‘This is not about discriminating: We’ve always appreciated how much overseas doctors and nurses give to our NHS.
‘It is simply about our absolute commitment to put patients’ safety first.’
Currently 23,033 doctors from Europe – almost 10 per cent of the total – are registered to work in the NHS.
France has managed to get round the rules by not testing doctors’ language per se, but inviting applicants to interview. Those deemed not to have the requisite language skills will not get a job.
The Department of Health said it was in talks with the Nursing and Midwifery Council to consider testing the language skills of foreign nurses as well.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2044925/Language-test-foreign-doctors-Law-bar-medics-speak-English.html#ixzz1ZoiWpYQe
By Daniel Martin
Foreign doctors will be barred from treating patients unless they have a good grasp of English under tough rules to be announced by Andrew Lansley today.
The Health Secretary will pledge to end the scandal which has seen 23,000 doctors from Europe registered to work in the NHS – despite never having been asked if they can speak the language properly.
A new law will give trusts the statutory duty to check the English language skills of all new overseas doctors before they are employed by the Health Service.
Failure to pass the language test will see them prevented from taking a job in an NHS hospital or a GP surgery – ensuring patients are treated by doctors they can understand, and who can understand them.
Last year, a report by the Commons Health Select Committee concluded that the failure to ensure GPs on out-of-hours shifts can speak English had cost lives.
Three years ago, pensioner David Gray died after being treated by out-of-hours locum Dr Daniel Ubani, who was exhausted after having flown in from Germany. He was allowed to treat patients despite having a poor grasp of English.
Doctors’ language skills are not yet routinely tested because Britain sticks rigidly to an EU directive which outlaws checks on overseas GPs’ language skills – while France flouts it.
More...'Sometimes doctors do things that patients don't think necessary': What GP 'told disabled patient as he indecently assaulted her'
15,000 NHS nurses fear redundancy as they reveal cuts are damaging patient care
The ban is even enshrined in British law: The 1983 Medical Act, brought in by Margaret Thatcher. Mr Lansley will repeal the parts of the Act which stop trusts from testing foreign doctors’ English.
Under the new scheme, all trusts will have to appoint a ‘responsible officer’ whose job will be to test the language skills of all foreign doctors applying to work there.
He or she must also ensure the applicant is trained to UK standards and understands how the NHS works.
Minister: Andrew Lansley is set to introduce new rules for foreign doctors
Ministers are confident the new rules will be drawn up in such a way that Britain will be able to circumvent the EU directive – and protect the safety of patients.
Mr Lansley said: ‘There is considerable anxiety amongst the public about the ability of doctors to speak English properly.
‘After 13 years of inaction from Labour to tighten up language controls, we will amend the legislation to prevent all foreign doctors with a poor grasp of English from working in England. If you can’t speak adequate English, you can’t treat patients.’
Currently only doctors from outside Europe are routinely scrutinised for their language skills before being able to register with the General Medical Council, the doctors’ watchdog.
But European law prevents the GMC from vetting the language skills of doctors from within Europe, because it conflicts with the European ideal of the free movement of people.
It has led to the farcical position where doctors from English-speaking countries such as Australia and Canada face tougher language tests than those from Italy and Lithuania.
Ministers plan to sidestep the directive by putting the onus on trusts – and not the GMC – to check language skills.
The ‘responsible officers’ will also have to ensure that the doctor has the right qualifications to work in the NHS – and that appropriate references are obtained and checked.
Consultation: Rigorous new tests will ensure that GPs can speak sufficient English (picture posed by models)
There will also be a new power for trusts to refer a doctor to the GMC if they have concerns that their poor language skills could put patients at risk.
Mr Lansley plans to legislate to give the GMC explicit new powers to take action against doctors when there are concerns about their ability to speak English.
In his speech, the Health Secretary will say: ‘We will amend the Medical Act to ensure that any doctor from overseas who can’t use a decent level of English is not able to treat NHS patients.
‘This is not about discriminating: We’ve always appreciated how much overseas doctors and nurses give to our NHS.
‘It is simply about our absolute commitment to put patients’ safety first.’
Currently 23,033 doctors from Europe – almost 10 per cent of the total – are registered to work in the NHS.
France has managed to get round the rules by not testing doctors’ language per se, but inviting applicants to interview. Those deemed not to have the requisite language skills will not get a job.
The Department of Health said it was in talks with the Nursing and Midwifery Council to consider testing the language skills of foreign nurses as well.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2044925/Language-test-foreign-doctors-Law-bar-medics-speak-English.html#ixzz1ZoiWpYQe
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