Conservative announcement on recruiting overseas doctors and nurses

November 08, 2019

Alp Mehmet, Chairman of Migration Watch UK, said

This announcement is just window dressing. The government has already removed doctors and nurses from the cap and salary thresholds for health workers are based on the national pay scales. 

The reality is that the government has neglected for many years to provide enough training places while also failing to retain enough UK medical staff. Indeed, they have been using immigration as a 'get out of jail free' card.

It is wrong to take doctors and nurses from countries that may well need them more than we do while turning away young UK candidates.

• The Migration Advisory Committee says non-EU nurses are paid a fifth less than other nurses.
• The MAC said in 2016 that there is no reason why the UK cannot source its need for nurses domestically and blasted the health sector for using immigration as a 'get out of jail free card'.
• Government has already removed nurses and doctors from the annual work permit cap. Nurses are also on the shortage occupation list. 
• See our piece on staffing the NHS