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Letters to the Editor
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Free movement in Europe
One-way traffic?
From Ms E. A. Mishon, MRPharmS
Miall James’s letter (PJ, 19 June, p768) and Martha Pawluczyk’s
reply concerning the recognition of pharmacist asylum seekers, coincided
with John Ferguson’s explanation (PJ, 19 June, p768) of the language
problems presented by the requirement to permit reciprocal registration
of European pharmacists. Since the EU was enlarged last month to include
Eastern Europe, the language problem may become more serious.
There is no doubt that Mr Ferguson’s letter is factual and up to
date, however the correspondence raises more questions than it answers.
Whatever the Market Director-General is saying at the moment, it is not
relevant to the immediate situation; or to what has gone before.
When the possibility of reciprocal registration for pharmacists across
Europe was published in the British pharmaceutical press, I was enthusiastic.
I first tried to register in France more than 10 years ago and I discovered
that mutual registration was not a reality. The French pharmaceutical
society, among other things, was making an illegal language requirement
and I alerted the Royal Pharmaceutical Society at the time. I have learned
recently from other ex-pats who hope to work here that there has been
no change.
I am a subscriber to Le Moniteur des Pharmacies (the French equivalent
to the PJ) and have noted that there are British employers who advertise
for French pharmacists to work in the UK. This would indicate that French
pharmacists can be “eased” into Royal Pharmaceutical Society
registration. But certainly there is no facility to assist British pharmacists
over the 10 conditions that the French pharmaceutical society demand
to register in France. An explanation for this apparent one way traffic
would be welcome.
Ms Pawluczyk says that there have been 32 applications from asylum seekers
to register with the Society through the Adjudicating Committee since
1999. In the context of the present debate, she does not say what the
language requirements were, how many candidates were successful, and
what support, if any, was offered.
Anne Mishon
Laurac le Grand,
France
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MARTHA PAWLUCZYK, adjudication manager, and PETER
BURLEY, head of preregistration
division, Royal Pharmaceutical Society, reply:
The Royal Pharmaceutical
Society does assess the language competence of all applicants where
it has the power to do so. For those where it does not have the power
to
assess language before registration, then language competence becomes
a postregistration fitness to practise issue. All applicants are
advised that they will not be able to practise ethically unless they
are proficient
in English.
There is no question of “easing” French pharmacists onto the register.
EEA nationals (with appropriate qualifications) have absolute rights under the
relevant Directives which the Society cannot set aside. Equally, though, they
are bound by the Society’s code of ethics and standards once they are
on the register.
GB pharmacists encountering difficulties registering in accordance with
these Directives elsewhere in Europe might like to explore if the European
Commission’s “EUROJUS” service
could help them. This is a free legal advice service specifically to help
with matters such as recognition of qualifications, providing services,
employment, and residency. Details of the UK EUROJUS service can be found
here;
there is an equivalent service in each EU state.
While the Society receives many enquiries from “asylum seekers” they
have no formal status as such with the Society or the Department of Health
and they must be treated as any other applicant. If the Home Office grants
them formal
refugee status, then their position does change. Refugee status confirms
that the Home Office is satisfied as to the authenticity of all the information
they
have provided, and, much more importantly for this query, the applicants
have access to the Department of Health’s “Overseas and health
professional refugee education” programmes, which include language
and other such training to enable them properly to enter the UK labour
market. (Details
on the DoH website). |
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