Nursing and the NMC registration; guidance please

[Pugilist]

I am a graduate of nursing from West Negros.
I arrived in the UK in March 09 after successfully obtaining a fiance visa.
My fiance and i are now married and living happily in London.
I want to pursue my nursing career here in the UK, but i understand that the NMC requires that i have at least 12 months experience back home. As your aware there is a huge influx of newly registered nurses in the Philippines but hardly any work particulary in Manila.
I wonder whether anybody else has found themselves in this predicament.
Could you please give me any advice.
Much appreciated.
Diorella

[Doc Alan]

Hello Diorella,
You are correct in stating that the NMC (Nursing and Midwifery Council) requires at least 12 months' hospital work before registration, and it is a condition of working as a nurse in this country that you register with the NMC.
I have a personal interest in this, being a retired doctor with a Filipina girlfriend who hopes to graduate in nursing from Central College of the Philippines next August (as you will see in my introductory letter to this forum). I do not relish the thought that she would then have to spend a year in hospital(s) in the Philippines before coming to Britain. I understand that the vast majority of nursing graduates from the Philippines do want to work abroad.
I have only recently joined this forum but received a warm welcome. I will watch with interest any replies / advice which I hope you receive, but would ask if you have managed to make contact with any filipino nurses in this country or even contacted the NMC for advice, possibly about doing other healthcare work or gaining experience here.
ALAN

[Pete67]

Not sure if this would help or not but is it possible to work as a Healthcare Assistant for one year in a UK hoospital, perhaps not right for qualified nurses to take a lower level job but might be worth looking into? I know a HA and ex-nurse could ask them about it if it might help? Pete

[joebloggs]

yes there are many jobs she could do working in the NHS, while she waits to do exams/get registered etc, lab assistants/ senior assistant technical officers etc,,

my misses has worked more than 3yrs as a SATO in the NHS while she has been studying and taking exams so she can work as a doctor here.

[Pugilist]

Hi Alan

Just read your post.

Its difficult to register with the NMC at the moment without having 12 month work experience. I would advise your girlfriend to work her 12 months even though she may find it difficult. At present jobs in hospitals in Manila and the provinces are difficult to find unless you know somebody.
I have found that YOU MAY be able to register with the NMC through PNAUK; its a filipino organisation, your girlfriend will most likely be a member in the Phil.
You pre - register with the NMC through the PNAUK; then hopefully you get onto the ONP (OVERSEAS NURSES PROGRAM) in Glasgow Caledonian University. The provider (large nursing home client) will pay the costs of the course, normally 3 - 6 months; but when your registered its expected that you will work for the client who has over 400 nursing homes in the UK.
Hope that helps

[Doc Alan]

Thanks for your reply Diorella. I was unaware of PNAUK, and for the benefit of other interested forum members, this is Philippines Nurses Association of the UK. I wish you all the best in your marriage, and I'm sure a future update on your nursing career progress would be of interest and helpful.

[vfire]

Hello Diorella,

You need to pass IELTS first ( all 4 categories should be 7 and band score 7) in order to be registered in NMC. However, the working experience required to be registered varies on how many months you had hospital experience in the Philippines. ONP training are available in some university all over UK.

v