Oral question asked in the House of Commons, by Jonathan Shaw (Labour). It was answered on Tuesday, 18 April 2006 on behalf of the Department of Health.

NHS Vacancies

Question: Does my right hon. Friend agree that our NHS would not function if it were not for the outstanding contribution of people from abroad? Does she share my concern about reports that trainee doctors who have come to the UK in good faith are having their training interrupted by new visa regulations? What is she doing about that, particularly in terms of discussions with the Home Office?

Answer: My hon. Friend makes a very important point. Indeed, for many decades, the NHS has been indebted to staff from abroad. The Home Office has recently announced a change to the arrangements for the immigration status of doctors who come from abroad to complete their training, but we have put in place transitional arrangements to protect doctors who, for instance, may have come here with three years' leave but are taking part in a specialist registrar training programme that may well last five years. The transitional arrangements will ensure that they can complete that training programme. However, my officials are meeting the Indian high commission, which has expressed concern, and the British Medical Association this afternoon to find out whether anything further needs to be done to clarify the arrangements, particularly the transitional arrangements, but the fundamental reason why we can make those changes is that we have been successful in training far more of our own doctors and nurses in this country.

Secondary information