Introduction to consultants' recruitment

This page contains information about the recruitment of consultants from overseas on registration requirements, advertising and interviews.

Registration requirements for international candidates

All doctors must be on the specialist register of the General Medical Council (GMC) before they can take up a post. This means that doctors from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and EEA doctors in particular specialities will have to pass an assessment by the Postgraduate Medical Education Training Board (PMETB).

Non-EEA doctors have to demonstrate their communication skills to the GMC by passing the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) to the required standard. EEA doctors are not required to do so. However, an employer should satisfy themselves of a candidate's ability to communicate to the required standard for the post. Whatever method is used to assess this, employers must ensure it is consistent for all candidates.

Single/joint interviews

Advertising

A trust must advertise a post in accordance with the NHS (Appointment of Consultants) Regulations 1996 and use NHS Jobs. When placing the advert, we recommend that trusts check that it meets the requirements of anti-discrimination legislation. It would be useful to the candidates to include links to background details of the NHS and the individual trust.

Confirming job descriptions

Trusts should ensure that all the relevant posts are:

• confirmed and agreed within the trust
• funded by the relevant commissioner
• set up so that there is adequate support from professional colleagues, staff and infrastructure
• approved following consultation with the College Regional Specialty Adviser (RSA).

Appointment process

The appointment process should be carried out under the NHS (Appointment of Consultants) Regulations 1996 - Good practice guidance through Advisory Appointment Committees (AACs).

How candidates apply for posts

NHS Careers provides candidates with information about careers in the NHS and recommends that they register with the NHS Jobs website to access job opportunities. NHS trusts are encouraged to use the free NHS Jobs service as one of their advertising methods.

Confirmation of the interviews

Please allow a minimum of eight weeks notice when inviting an international candidate to interview. International candidates will need to arrange annual leave, cover, flights etc. It is advisable to provide candidates with details of the documentation that they will be expected to produce at the interview to enable your trust to comply with the appropriate pre-employment checks.

Interviews

During the interview week, candidates should be given the opportunity to visit the trust(s) covered by their AAC and to meet some of their prospective colleagues. These visits are not part of the assessment process. Candidates may also wish to bring their spouse/partner and any dependent children to see the areas where they may be living. The expenses related to this should be covered up to an agreed limit. Trusts should consider what type of support package they can provide to assist the candidate with expenses.

The formal interviews will be carried out in accordance with the regulations and guidance on good practice for consultant appointments. Candidates will be assessed against the person specification for the post(s) being offered.

Cancelling interviews which involve international candidates can cause extreme problems. This should only be considered in exceptional circumstances.

Making conditional offers

Following the interview and trust decisions, the trust should contact the successful candidates to offer them a job provisionally. Once a candidate has verbally accepted a provisional job offer, the employing trust should then send the successful candidate a conditional job offer in writing.

The job offer is conditional on:

• verification of identity checks
• right to work checks
• registration and qualification checks (must be on the specialist register and have full GMC registration)
• employment history and reference checks
• criminal record checks
• occupational health checks.

Once an unconditional written offer of employment has been accepted in writing by the candidate, the trust should assist and support the doctor with regard to relocation and any package that they are offering.

Employment checks

NHS employers who recruit staff from abroad should carry out the necessary pre and post appointment checks in accordance with the NHS Employment Check Standards and the prevention of illegal working legislation.

The employing trust is responsible for considering the information obtained from the pre-employment checks before making an unconditional job offer to the successful candidate.