Treatment of doctors from outside EEA “disgraceful”

The Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI) has labelled the government’s treatment of doctors from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) as “disgraceful”.

Rules governing medical training now mean that British candidates for specialist training places will be given priority over those from non-EU countries ? something that the JCWI says defeats the purpose of the government’s point-based system to encourage skilled workers from around the world.

Tauhid Pasha, legal and policy director of the JCWI, said: “Many non-EEA nationals will feel discriminated against and poorly treated, particularly as overseas doctors from outside Europe have a tradition of contributing to the provision of our hospital treatment which is as old as the NHS itself.”

The health minister, Lord Warner, told BBC Radio Four’s Today programme that he recognised the “huge” contribution made to the NHS by overseas doctors, adding that the government has to “make this country more self-reliant on medical training”.

He said that intakes into medical school have increased by 70 per cent over the last seven or eight years but that the government needs to ensure that there are enough places for UK graduates.

The JCWI revealed that overseas doctors were planning a march against the government and warned that up to 15,000 doctors could be affected.

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