Thread by @TheDA_UK

The story of 1000 Newly qualified IMG Gps being faced with #deportation has been branded as ‘scaremongering’ by a government spokesperson.

If only. During the height of a GP crisis the #homeoffice is asking brand new GPs to leave. A thread 🧵
@DAUK_GP @NHSMillion

But sadly, this is not needless scaremongering. The story was broken by @pulsetoday in April, when they highlighted data from Health Education England, showing that up to 1000 trainees were in the country on visas due to expire in March 2023.

The issue was raised again last week by the @rcgp, who warned MPs that newly qualified IMG GPs were receiving letters threatening them with removal from the country after completing their medical training.

How can this make sense?
GP training lasts for 3 years. Overseas doctors must work under the skilled worker visa scheme for at least 5 yrs before they can apply for ILR. This leaves a mismatch of 2 years where they must secure sponsorship with an employer to stay in the country.

Furthermore - not every GP practice is able to provide this sponsorship. The process to obtain a sponsorship licence is not simple (gov.uk/uk-visa-sponso…)

the Doctors’ Association UK are setting up a resource to link GPs facing this dilemma, to visa licenced GP practices who are actively looking to recruit GPs.

Please help us by sharing this with your local GP teams and ask them to send their job adverts to DAUK on [e-mail]
We will then list these vacancies in our members forum as a resource specifically for our IMG members to match them with suitable posts with sponsorship.

Resources available to help:
-NHS England: england.nhs.uk/gp/the-best-pl…

- in Northern Ireland you can contact your local GP federation