MEDIA RELEASE

April 2017 OET, the English language test for healthcare professionals now recognised by Healthcare City Authority OET is now recognised by Authority (DHCA), the governing body of the Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC) free zone. DHCA is the first health authority in the United Arab (UAE) to recognise OET as proof of English proficiency for healthcare professionals who have had their medical and health sciences education in languages other than English. OET is an international English language test that assesses the language skills of healthcare professionals seeking to register and practice in an English-speaking environment. OET is recognised by Australian and New Zealand immigration departments for visa purposes and major healthcare regulators in Australia, New Zealand and Singapore. DHCC, ’s largest healthcare zone, is regulated by the independent regulatory arm, Dubai Healthcare City Authority – Regulatory (DHCR), whose quality standards are accredited by the International Society for Quality in Healthcare (ISQua). To be licensed in the free zone, DHCR requires evidence of English proficiency. This pre- requisite applies to healthcare professionals for whom English isn’t a native language nor the medium of instruction during their education/training years. With the addition of the OET, the authority provides more options of English proficiency tests for non-English speaking professionals to select from. As of February 2017, DHCC has close to 3,500 licensed professionals representing more than 90 countries, practicing across 120 specialties in the free zone’s hospitals, outpatient medical centres and diagnostic laboratories. Dr Ramadan AlBlooshi, CEO, DHCR, said, “With an increasing number of patients from across nationalities receiving treatment within Dubai Healthcare City, the regulatory body has stressed the importance for healthcare professionals to be proficient in English to communicate effectively and ensure a high standard of care and safety.” “We are continuously working to develop policies which will enhance our patient-doctor relationships and ensure quality healthcare services. In this context, OET is an important tool as the language test is tailored for healthcare professionals. All healthcare graduates who have not been educated in English will need to obtain Grade C in OET to apply to work in Dubai Healthcare City,” added Dr AlBlooshi. The OET assesses writing, reading, listening and speaking skills using real healthcare scenarios, such as calming a distressed patient, showing empathy or writing a referral letter. This ensures that healthcare professionals who have passed the OET are proficient in the level of English required in the healthcare workplace. OET CEO, Sujata Stead, said, “We are delighted to sign this agreement. Safety and quality of care are at the heart of OET and Dubai Healthcare City Authority – Regulatory has demonstrated its commitment to both patient safety and high quality care by ensuring their healthcare professionals are able to communicate effectively in English. We are delighted that OET candidates will now be able to use their results to apply to practise in Dubai Healthcare City.”

------ENDS------

About OET

OET is an international English language test that assesses the language communication skills of healthcare professionals who seek to register and practise in an English-speaking environment.

OET results are accepted by most health regulatory boards and councils in Australia, New Zealand and Singapore as proof of English language proficiency. It is also recognised by the Australian Department of Immigration and Border Protection and Immigration New Zealand for all visa categories where an English test may be required.

Available in over 80 venues in 35 countries, OET is owned by Cambridge Boxhill Language Assessment, a venture between Cambridge English Language Assessment and Box Hill Institute, Australia. For more information visit http://www.occupationalenglishtest.org

OET contact: Janeen Gardiner OET Melbourne, Australia Tel: +61 3 8656 4000 Mobile: +61 (0) 466 902 562 Email: [email protected]

Dubai Healthcare City Authority contact: Dubai Healthcare City Wafa Issa / Awad Al Atatra / Carolina D’Souza Corporate Communications Department [email protected] / [email protected] / [email protected] +971 4 3838481 / +971 4 383 8469/ +971 4 383 8475