Written question asked by Tom Cox (Labour) on Monday, 12 March 2001, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 19 March 2001. It was answered by John Denham (Labour) on Monday, 19 March 2001 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Dept of Health

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) nurses and (b) doctors were recruited from overseas to work in the NHS during the last 12 months. - Includes figures and ref to the figures requested are not collected centrally but may be held by individual national health service employers.

Answer: Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) nurses and (b) doctors were recruited from overseas to work in the NHS during the last 12 months. [153759] Mr. Denham: The figures requested are not collected centrally but may be held by individual national health service employers. The United Kingdom Central Council and the General Medical Council (GMC) do, however, collect figures on the number of international nurses and doctors registered in this country. Between April 1999 and March 2000, 7,383 nurses, midwives and health visitors were admitted to the United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting register from abroad, of whom 5,967 were from outside the European Economic Area (EEA). In 2000, the GMC issued full registration to 1,185 doctors from within the EEA. Full registration was issued to 1,896 doctors from outside the EEA and 1,967 doctors from outside the EEA were issued limited registration. The GMC report that on average, 5,700 doctors who qualified abroad, are undertaking postgraduate training under limited registration.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 365 c101-2W; 153759
Session: 2000-01
Subjects: Doctors General Medical Council NHS Recruitment Nurses Migrant workers UK Central Council for Nursing Midwifery and Health Visiting
Contains statistics: Yes
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk