HCL Nurses, recruitment agencies call for lowering of language bar to work in UK
Senior National Health Service (NHS) trust managers and recruitment agencies have called for regulators to lower the entry language score from 7 to 6.5 for foreign nurses hoping to work in UK health facilities. One in 10 NHS nursing positions are currently unfilled, with 13% of the service's workforce coming from outside of Britain, according to the Institute of Employment Studies. The US and Canada accept a 6.5 pass rate for their own English language proficiency exams. Critics including Andrea Jenkyns, a Conservative member of the Commons health select committee, argue that a language barrier could put patient safety in jeopardy.

01 Jun 2023

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is one of the most prevalent forms of cardiac arrhythmias, particularly among the ageing population. It is projected to affect about 8 and 17 million individuals in the United States and Europe in 2050, respectively. Although the prevalence of AF among Asians is relatively lower, the disease burden is high owing to the growing ageing population; approximately 72 million individuals are expected to receive an AF diagnosis in the next few decades. Stroke is a clinically important complication observed in patients with AF as its incidence rate is 4- to 5-fold higher than that in patients without AF. In particular, Asians have a higher incidence of AF-related risks of bleeding and stroke when compared with non-Asians. The annual risk of ischaemic stroke in Asian patients with AF was reported to be approximately 3%. As such, stroke prevention is an important aspect in the management of AF.