It DOES seem hard-lines that your brother and his nursing colleagues were *denied work permits on the strength of such a *narrow margin. However, Welcome to the forum.
Unfortunately, in the light of the replies you've received from someone with specialist knowlege at his fingertips, it looks as though the prospects of winning an appeal against this decision are, at best, rather bleak ... for the time being. at least!
If it's any consolation, my wife [who taught for twenty-two years in the Phils] is prevented from pursuing a teaching career in Scotland ... simply because her BSc + part-Master's degree is not deemed to be of a standard equivalent to that required here.
barmy, I know ... but there you go!