Ensuring a robust influx of skilled doctors from overseas remains imperative for the UK, despite ongoing efforts to enhance domestic healthcare training, states the General Medical Council (GMC). A substantial 63% of new doctors in 2022 acquired their qualifications abroad, revealing a critical dependence on international medical professionals. While the government's ambitious plan to bolster healthcare staffing within England is underway, the GMC emphasizes the protracted timeline required for its impact to materialize.
NHS England currently grapples with 10,855 full-time doctor vacancies, equating to a 7.2% vacancy rate. The NHS's Long Term Workforce Plan aims to address this by investing £2.4 billion in additional training places, doubling the annual intake of student doctors to 15,000. However, the GMC stresses the necessity of foreign-trained doctors to bridge the workforce gap in the interim, projecting that even in 14 years, the proportion of overseas-trained doctors will remain around the current level of 39%.
Charlie Massey, CEO of the GMC, applauds the workforce expansion initiative but underscores the prolonged duration needed to cultivate new medical professionals. Acknowledging the 15% exodus of UK doctors practicing abroad in 2022, Massey expresses concern about retaining NHS doctors, citing dissatisfaction and burnout risks. In response, NHS England outlines retention strategies encompassing flexible working options and career development opportunities.
Massey emphasizes the importance of supporting overseas-trained doctors upon their arrival in the UK, advocating for collective efforts by health services. The GMC conducts workshops to aid foreign doctors in adapting to the UK's working culture, promoting a welcoming environment. Oyku Tural, a doctor qualified in Cyprus, highlights the need for support in navigating the new system and sees overseas-trained doctors as valuable assets to the NHS due to their friendliness and compassion.
Dr. Sarah Clarke, President of the Royal College of Physicians, underscores the indispensable role of internationally trained doctors in alleviating the strain on the NHS. An NHS England spokesperson affirms the long-term workforce plan's commitment to recruiting and retaining doctors, recognizing the ongoing and future contributions of overseas medical professionals to the NHS.