UK Registration Pathways, Explained
Trained as a nurse, midwife, doctor, pharmacist, allied health professional or dentist outside the UK and wondering how to register here? This is a plain, honest index of every UK regulator pathway β with the NHS pay and workforce data behind them β so you can start with the route that fits your profession.
To work in a regulated healthcare role in the UK, you must join the register held by your profession's regulator. Nurses and midwives register with the NMC, doctors with the GMC, pharmacists with the GPhC, allied health professionals with the HCPC, and dentists with the GDC. Each route typically involves an English-language check, a knowledge and/or practical assessment, and a registration fee. Sources: the UK healthcare regulators, NHS Employers (nhsemployers.org) and gov.uk. Information current as of July 2026.
This is information, not recruitment. GeraClinic is not a recruitment agency. We do not place, sponsor or charge healthcare professionals, and we do not actively recruit from countries on the WHO 2023 Health Workforce Support and Safeguards List. These pages help individuals who independently choose to explore UK registration; you apply directly to the regulator and to employers yourself.
Registration pathways by profession
Pick your profession to see the full step-by-step route, the exams involved, indicative fees and timelines, and what you would earn.
Nurses
The Nursing and Midwifery Council pathway: English evidence, computer-based test (CBT), qualification review and the practical OSCE, then an NMC PIN. NHS nurses normally start on Agenda for Change Band 5.
Read the pathway βNMC β midwifery routeMidwives
The separate NMC midwifery Test of Competence, how it differs from the nursing route, the English requirement and OSCE, and the NHS pay bands that apply once you are on the register.
Read the pathway βGMC β PLAB / registrationDoctors
The General Medical Council routes to a UK licence to practise β most international medical graduates take PLAB 1 and 2, evidence their English, then apply for registration and a Tier-2 / Skilled Worker visa.
Read the pathway βGPhC β OSPAPPharmacists
The General Pharmaceutical Council route for overseas pharmacists: the OSPAP conversion qualification, foundation training year, registration assessment, and the NHS / community salary picture.
Read the pathway βHCPC β international applicationAllied health professionals
Physiotherapists, radiographers, paramedics, occupational therapists, dietitians, speech and language therapists and biomedical scientists register with the Health and Care Professions Council. The international application and evidence requirements explained.
Read the pathway βGDC β OREDentists
The General Dental Council route for overseas-qualified dentists: the Overseas Registration Exam (ORE) Parts 1 and 2, registration, and NHS / private practice earnings.
Read the pathway βCountry-specific information
We publish country-specific pages only for source countries that are not on the WHO 2023 Safeguards List or the UK amber list. If your country is not listed, the general pathways above still apply and you can always approach a UK employer directly, on your own account.
The NHS pay & workforce data behind the pathways
Registration is only half the picture. These free data indices, built from published NHS and government sources, show what NHS roles pay and where the staffing gaps are.
NHS pay scales
Agenda for Change bands and the doctorsβ pay scales, with indicative salaries β the money side of every pathway above.
NHS vacancy index
Where the NHS staffing gaps are, by staff group and region β the honest reason international registration routes exist.
NHS waiting-times index
The pressure on NHS services, tracked from published NHS England data.
NHS dental access
How hard NHS dental care is to reach by area β the demand picture behind the GDC / ORE route.
Frequently asked questions
Is GeraClinic a healthcare recruitment agency?+
No. GeraClinic and Gera do not recruit, place, or sponsor healthcare workers, do not match you to specific NHS vacancies, and never charge a professional a placement fee. These pages are free, general pathway information for people who are exploring UK registration on their own. You apply directly, of your own accord, to the UK regulator and to licensed employers.
Which UK regulator do I register with?+
It depends on your profession. Nurses and midwives register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC); doctors with the General Medical Council (GMC); pharmacists with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC); physiotherapists, radiographers, paramedics and other allied health professionals with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC); and dentists with the General Dental Council (GDC). Each pathway page above links to the relevant regulator.
Do you provide information for every country?+
We publish country-specific pages only for source countries that are not on the WHO 2023 Health Workforce Support and Safeguards List and not on the UK amber list β for example India, the Philippines, Egypt, the UAE, and the EEA / Ireland. If your country is on the safeguard list, the general regulator pathway still applies and you may always apply to a UK employer directly, on your own account; we simply do not build targeted recruitment funnels for those corridors.
Is any of this immigration or legal advice?+
No. Everything here is general information that summarises publicly available guidance from the UK regulators, NHS Employers and gov.uk. Fees, tests and visa rules change and differ across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Always confirm the current requirements with the relevant regulator and, for visa questions, a qualified immigration adviser before you make decisions.
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Important β please read
This page is general information, not immigration, legal or careers advice, and does not create any professional relationship. GeraClinic is not a recruitment agency and does not actively recruit healthcare workers from countries on the WHO 2023 Health Workforce Support and Safeguards List. Regulator requirements, exam formats, fees and visa rules change over time and differ across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Always confirm the current position directly with the relevant UK regulator (NMC, GMC, GPhC, HCPC or GDC), NHS Employers and gov.uk before making decisions.