IELTS Research Reports

An impact study into the use of IELTS by professional associations and registration entities:Canada, the United Kingdom and IrelandThe Society has been using IELTS as its English language benchmark since 2002. The minimumacceptable assessment is 7.0 in the Academic Module in each of the four macroskills. These levelshave been revised from an overall level of 7.0 because the Society considered proficiency in all fourskills to be critical for a practising pharmacist.No other English language tests are currently accepted.4.3 Profiles of Professional Associations – IrelandIrish regulatory bodies making use of IELTS are exclusively related to the health professions. Like the UK,Ireland is a member of the European Union and is bound by the same legislation barring Irish associationsfrom making an English language proficiency assessment mandatory, and so evidence of English languageproficiency is only sought from professionals wishing to practise from non-EU countries.This has meant that responsibility for language assessment for EEA nationals has been devolvedto the employer.4.3.1 Irish Nursing Board (An Bord Altranais)The Irish Nursing Board was established under Irish legislation in 1950 to maintain a register ofnurses, midwives and individuals in ancillary health occupations. It is also responsible for maintaininga Code of Practice and Ethics and to assess fitness to practise of individuals.There has been a drop in the number of overseas applicants registered in the last five years, accordingto Register Statistics 2008 published on the Irish Nursing Board website, with new registrations in2008 of non-EU applicants numbering just over five hundred out of a total of 2,199, approximatelyhalf the number registered in 2004. This is consistent with the trend reported in the UK.In addition to IELTS, the Board also accepts the various modes of TOEFL (combined with the TWEand TSE where necessary), or the iB TOEFL (minimum of 88), as alternative assessment systems.The Board has set the minimum IELTS standard required for nurse and midwife registration as anoverall 7.0 in the Academic Module, with a minimum in Writing and Speaking of 7.0 and in Reading andListening of 6.5, thus giving greater weight to the productive skills than the receptive skills for nurses.4.3.2 Irish Medical CouncilThe Irish Medical Council (IMC) was established under Irish legislation in 1978 with its main purposebeing the protection of the interests of the public in health matters. It is responsible for quality assuringgraduate programs, for setting and maintaining standards of practice and assessing fitness to practisefor both doctors and specialists through an examination.Doctors from non-English speaking countries are required to provide an IELTS Test Report prior toapplying for registration. According to statistics on the IMC website, as of January 2009 there werealmost 700 temporary registrations (that is, doctors under supervision) for the previous year, the vastmajority coming from the Sudan, Nigeria, Pakistan and India. Approximately three to four hundred ofthese were required to provide language competency certification.The perceived language skills required by doctors and specialists involve high level communicationon technical matters, and effective communication with patients with varying levels of understanding.They also include skills in advising patients of diagnoses and breaking bad news in language thepatients are able to understand.IELTS Research Reports Volume 1147