English test bars Australian doctor

The GMC has delayed registering Dr Watt

An Australian doctor is being prevented from practising in the UK because she has not passed an English test, even though it is her native language.

Dr Marti Watt has been given a job at a surgery in Witney, Oxfordshire.

But the General Medical Council has refused to give the GP permission to work until she takes an English test.

Her local MP said the case is ludicrous and he is contacting the secretary of state for health asking for a change in the regulations relating to the appointment of GPs.

Registration delay

The Deer Park Medical Centre had advertised for a new doctor in the UK and in Europe without success.

Managers then turned to Australia and Dr Watt got the job.

But bureaucracy held up her flight and now the General Medical Council delayed registering her because it had not seen her language test result.

The MP for Witney, Conservative David Cameron, has complained to the secretary of state for health.

He said the decision was ridiculous.

"They insisted on this English language test which has meant another delay.

"It seems to be strange because English is her first language coming from Australia, where often this does not have to happen with doctors from EU countries where English would not be their first language," he said.

"It seems we are treating people from the Commonwealth worse than people from Europe and that's a mistake."

The doctor did not want to comment.