Sajid Javid and Number 10 confirm they are looking again at cap on visas for doctors
The NHS in Cumbria is working hard to try to recruit more doctors and nurses and has had issues with an immigration cap on Visas for skilled workers from outside the EU, the so called "Type 2 Visas" issue. They have raised this with politicians of all parties and have had a sympathetic hearing from Cumbrian representatives.
The issue of Type 2 Visa restrictions was taken up with ministers on a cross party basis by Trudy Harrison, MP for Copeland, working with all the other MPs of all parties representing Cumbria.
Pleased to see that over the weekend home secretary, Sajid Javid, said he was “taking a fresh look” at the policy, suggesting that it might be changed.
Today the prime minister’s official spokesman said that officials were keeping a close eye on NHS applications, which No 10 regards as a high priority in ensuring Britain’s economy has the workers it needs.
“Visa routes are always under review and we are monitoring the situation in relation to visa applications for doctors, including the monthly limits, including through the tier 2 visa route,” he said.
“The government fully recognises the contribution that international professionals make to the UK and we do keep visa routes under review; however it’s important that our immigration system works in the national interest and ensures that employers look first to the resident UK labour market before recruiting from overseas.”
Specifically on the potential shortage of doctors, he added: “There is a review under way and we are monitoring the situation closely.”
Last week, the BMJ reported that between December and March more than 1,500 visa applications from doctors with job offers in the UK were refused as a result of the cap on tier 2 visas for workers from outside the European Economic Area.
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However, last year Jeremy Hunt announced the formation of five new medical schools and a vast increase in doctor training so that when they are in operation and graduates from these schools start to come through the UK will finally become self-sufficient in doctor training.
Needless to say, the reward for Theresa May and Jeremy Hunt finally tackling a serious problem which had been ignored for three decades by governments of all parties, was to be accused of being "racist" by various idiots in the press and on social media, who presented it as a means of kicking out foreign doctors.
Among the many reason that argument is rubbish, and the reason that although we are finally starting to do something about training more doctors we still need to relax the Type 2 Visa cap for doctors and medical staff is that it takes years to train a doctor. In fact it often takes decades to get from being a first year medical student to a consultant.
Consequently, as the problem of UK dependence on imported doctors has taken three decades to build up it will take at least a decade and more likely two, to correct.
We will still need to recruit foreign doctors and nurses for several years yet. It is most unlikely that we will ever be in the position of telling skilled people who have come here to work in important roles for the NHS that they are no longer welcome and we want them to go home.