UK medics will be at front of queue for training places, says minister

Plans going through Parliament would see medical graduates from the UK and Ireland prioritised for both foundation and specialist placements, along with other specific groups.

The move comes amid stiff competition for training roles and concerns doctors failing to secure a post are leaving the profession.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting has previously highlighted the need for the NHS to end its “over-reliance on international recruitment”.

The Medical Training (Prioritisation) Bill forms part of the Government’s push to resolve an ongoing dispute with resident doctors in England, which has led to strike action.

Introducing the draft law to the House of Lords, Labour frontbencher Baroness Merron said: “One of the most pressing of those challenges is the severe bottleneck in postgraduate medical training.

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“For several years now, the number of applicants for foundation and speciality training places has grown far more rapidly than the number of available posts.

“In 2019, there were around 12,000 applicants for 9,000 speciality training places.

“In 2020, visa restrictions were lifted, and we find this year that this has soared to nearly 40,000 applicants for 10,000 places, with significantly more overseas-trained applicants than UK-trained ones.

“This has created intense competition, uncertainty and frustration for many at the start of their careers.

“At the same time our NHS has become increasingly reliant on international recruitment.”

Lady Merron added: “The Medical Training (Prioritisation) Bill gives effect to the Government’s commitment to place UK-trained doctors and other defined priority groups at the front of the queue for medical training posts.

“It does so while continuing to allow internationally trained doctors to apply for and contribute to the NHS.

“Let me emphasise that the Bill is about prioritisation. It is not about excluding people, but it is unashamedly about prioritisation.”

Pointing out British taxpayers spend £4 billion training medics each year, the minister told peers: “It will be by better aligning public investment, training capacity and long-term service needs that the Bill will give UK-trained doctors a fair chance to serve in the health service they train to support, and to do so in a way that benefits us, the public, across the country.”

Tory frontbencher Earl Howe said: “Doctors trained in this country and funded by the taxpayer should have a fair, clear and consistent pathway to progression within our NHS.

“Britain trains some of the finest doctors in the world, yet too many are being lost because they cannot access the training places they require.

“That represents a waste of talent, it undermines morale and it ultimately has consequences for patient care.

“It also represents a loss of taxpayer investment made through the public support of medical education and training when doctors are forced to take their skills abroad because they cannot progress within the system at home.”

But referring to the legislation, he added: “It must be robust enough to protect UK training pathways stemming from long-standing international partnerships that are already established firmly in our medical education system.

“Our relations with allies and Commonwealth members such as Malta really matter.”

Liberal Democrat Lord Clement-Jones said: “It is entirely reasonable that where the British taxpayer invests some £4 billion annually in medical education, there should be a secure pipeline for those graduates into our health service.

“However, while the intent is sound, the execution is marred by serious flaws.”

The Bill, which has already been through the Commons, received an unopposed second reading in the upper chamber and now goes for detailed scrutiny by peers.