Page 1 of 2: Overseas applicants to UK training restricted

MunishLapsia · Credits: 9000 My Scrapbook

Calendar Event: October 13, 2005

Source: Hospital Doctor 13/10/05

Overseas applicants to UK training restricted

Thousands of overseas medical graduates in Britain could be left unemployed after new guidelines made them ineligible to apply for first year foundation posts.

The deanery guidelines say overseas doctors who have completed the equivalent of a PRHO year in their home country cannot apply for F1 posts or two year foundation programmes.

The vast majority of overseas graduates already have a PRHO equivalent because the GMC advises them to gain this experience before sitting the Professional Linguistics and Assessment Board exam.

With most F2 posts expected to be filled by doctors completing F1, the vacancies for overseas graduates will be hugely restricted. The only available posts will be stand alone SHO posts, or some extra F2 posts deaneries hope to create

The new rules will exacerbate unemployment among overseas juniors, but help ensure UK graduates get posts.

Conference of Postgraduate Medical Deans chairman Prof Graham Winyard, defended the rules, saying: 'Otherwise we will be in the situation where UK graduates who have gone through five years training will not be able to become registered doctors.'

International doctors' associations branded the move discriminatory. Dr Ramesh Mehta, chairman of the British Association of Physicians of Indian origin, said: 'We do accept that local graduates need to go into F1, but we must make sure there are enough F2 seats available to accommodate the thousands of overseas doctors.'

A doctors' group has set up a forum to discuss the issue. Email [email address in profile] gmail. com for details.

Four trainees sacked

Four trainees in Norfolk have been sacked three weeks into their foundation courses after they failed assessments.

The overseas-trained doctors have been referred to the GMC. A further four have been told to improve their performance.

The doctors, who were employed at Norfolk and Norwich University NHS Trust and James Paget Hospitals Trust, had passed their Professional Linguistics and Assessment Board (PLAB ) exam.

However they failed an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE ) given to all new starters. The trust provided retraining, but sacked the doctors three weeks later saying they still failed to meet minimum standards.

One doctor told Hospital Doctor he had passed the OSCE re-sit only to be sacked because of a 360 degree appraisal. He is appealing the trust's decision.

International doctors associations say the doctors have been discriminated against.

The trusts and deanery involved say the problem highlights concerns over the quality of international medical graduates (IMGs). The situation has sparked a nationwide review by the Conference of Postgraduate Medical Deans into IMGs.

MunishLapsia · Credits: 9000 My Scrapbook

This is what one of the Overseas Doctor wrote to Hospital Doctor after the above post was published....

Beware some India colleges

Sir,

Your news story 'Four trainees sacked' grabbed my attention and caused alarm (13 October, front page).

Being an international medical graduate myself, I would at first want to defend the people who were sacked. Even though I don't know the details of the individual cases, I can confidently say that medical graduates from recognised universities in India are on a par with their peers from anywhere in the world.

However, starting a job at a new place in a completely different country does create initial nervousness, and failing an assessment within the first few months is understandable. Therefore a second chance with some moral support and counselling would be fair.

Having said that, the concern about training in India is not totally unreasonable. In Mumbai, there are seven 'private medical colleges'. The students pay their way into these colleges and level of knowledge, grades, and the like do not count at the time of entry.

I cannot comment further on the training at these colleges as I didn't belong to them. However, I know that certain royal colleges do not recognise training posts from these private colleges. However, the GMC does appear to recognise these colleges and this should be a cause for concern.

Dr Farokh Wadia, clinical research fellow, Wrightington Hospital, Wigan

MunishLapsia · Credits: 9000 My Scrapbook

And what another SHO had to say about the same...

PLAB jobs are second class

Sir,

The sacking of four trainees who had passed the Professional and Linguistic Assessment Board (PLAB ) test after another assessment at the trust level makes a mockery of the GMC. Does that mean the PLAB test is not a standard to test the competency of doctors to practise in the UK? What should the GMC be doing about this?

International graduates cannot join foundation year one (F1) or F2 training now, and the whole point of conducting PLAB exams should now be questioned.

It is an irony that when the NHS needs to fill service gaps there are no tests or assessment of doctors from abroad, but when the vacancies become saturated with applications more and more tests and assessments are introduced.

But at least the authorities can be honest by telling those doctors coming from abroad that there are no more training posts left here, and if they want to fill a second class, non-training post they are welcome to take the PLAB and come.

Dr A. Sajayan, SHO in anaesthetics, south Manchester

MunishLapsia · Credits: 9000 My Scrapbook

Foreign docs still lose out

Sir,

The confusion and the lack of clear information on overseas doctors who have passed PLAB has led to a pathetic situation.

In spite of the recent flood of bright young overseas doctors who have struggled to get a job, the GMC has continued to offer the PLAB examination.

And now, as we anticipate the implementation of reforms suggested under Modernising Medical Careers, the situation of overseas doctors has become gloomier, with most them not eligible to apply for F1 positions.

Most of the F2 posts will be filled by F1 trainees and there is no clear cut information about how opportunities will be made available for remaining F2 posts.

Lack of information, absence of an appropriate matching scheme and continuation of the PLAB examination has resulted in a large number of talented overseas doctors unable to find themselves a position.

It is worth keeping in mind that overseas doctors represent about half the doctors working in the UK and have contributed enormously to the NHS.

We need the powers-that-be to declare clear-cut criteria for the absorption of PLAB -passed doctors into the system.

Dr Dhiraj Gupta, clinical attachment in Paediatrics , Fairfield General Hospital, Bury, Lancashire

PlabManchester · Credits: 1782 My Scrapbook

ofcourse there is no clear cut source of information. i say this because doctors back home, are in no position to foresee the situation here. and most of them disbelieve us when we tell them. the truth is, there are doctors here who have been here for over 10 months, cleared PLAB2, and yet unsure of our future, myself included.

in any case, the GMC is continuing to conduct PLAB examinations, and planning the commence PLAB2 centres in india and in pakistan. they make 430 pounds from every candidate. so they dont care what happens to us afterwards.

they do acknowledge that it is diffucult for overseas doctors, but the situation here has gone past difficult, into the realms of impossible. i say it because it is a watertight situation for overseas grads. we cannot get into FY1 programmes, and we will not be allowed into FY2's simply beacause the prerequisite is to go through an FY1! so there's the paradox, or rather, the hoax, at our expense.

i am here. sadly i had to pay more than 500 pounds to extend my visa. i had to show paperwork from 2 attachments to get the visa. i am forbidden employment, even unpaid employment, eg Honorary SHO. hence i will achieve no NHS experience nor a GMC registration...
i dont know when or how this story ends.

MunishLapsia · Credits: 9000 My Scrapbook

Cruel cure for job imbalance Source Hospital Doctor 30/03/06

The DoH is making a habit of getting reform only half right. A year ago, Hospital Doctor started reporting that many UK-trained juniors were struggling to get jobs in the NHS. An increase in the number of domestic and overseas medical graduates - with little co-ordination in matching job-seekers to vacancies - was resulting in widespread unemployment.

Not only did it appear a waste of the £100,000 it costs to train a doctor in the UK, but many overseas doctors were bankrupting themselves in trying to get work within the NHS. Everyone agreed that something had to be done.

Last month, something was done, but - as usual - without proper consultation with the medical profession. The new guidelines from the DoH stipulate that all international doctors will be required to have a permit to work in the UK from July 2006. And any NHS trust wishing to employ a doctor from outside the EU will have to prove that a 'home-grown' doctor cannot fill the vacant post.

While those overseas doctors already working in the UK don't have to apply for a permit until their valid leave to work expires, many fear they'll be unable to continue in a training post when it comes to it. With increasing numbers of UK-trained doctors coming into the NHS, it's likely that the only justifiable jobs under this ruling will be non-training trust-grade posts at best.

But, beyond the human tragedy for these doctors, the new rules could also damage service provision more widely. Specialties, such as Psychiatry , geriatrics, O&G and A&E, have for many years depended on the commitment and skills of overseas doctors.

If they are rapidly removed from the workforce, there will be shortages before the number of UK-trained doctors can fill the gap. Overseas doctors already in training posts or SAS grades should have been exempted from the conditions of the permit. To not do so is neither fair nor sensible.

Let's recognise we need to ensure UK-trained doctors can all get jobs, but also that we still need the talents of our overseas doctors.

maazz · Credits: 112 My Scrapbook

This i s the latest show of discrimination.Actually NHS system doen't find the way to kick out indian doctors so they are trying all possible means.Some serious steps should be taken by overseas doctors through certain platform like BMA.

dsp · Credits: 1962 My Scrapbook My Reading List 23 Books

Do not expect any help from the BMA. BMA is there to protect the interests of its own members.

To quote their junior doctors committee(JDC)

One outcome of the new rules is that there is reduced competition for UK-trained doctors applying for training grade posts, allowing the UK medical school output to achieve full potential in training, which is an outcome that the JDC supports.

They have stated in no uncertain terms that they are all in favour of reduced competetion. All they are trying to do is negotiate something to ease the pain for those already in the system.

Cheers

dsp

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hauntedscientist · Credits: 2512 My Scrapbook

BMA is just trying to stay out of the situation!

MunishLapsia · Credits: 9000 My Scrapbook

Earlier Post PLAB doctors who have completed their internship in their home country are restricted from applying for the foundation year 1.

Now the new immigration rules worsen the possiblity of any overseas doctor in the system to complete his training and prevents fresh PLAB doctors from entering the training structure.

Next ... Bulgaria and Romania are set to join the EU they would be entering the EU in Jan 2007 and skilled and unskilled workers including Doctors are likely to rush to England for employment.... A few hundred more overseas doctors are bound to lose their positions in this bargain!

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