NHS considering bringing in GPs from India, Pulse reports

According to Pulse, health education bosses are considering allowing trained GPs from India to come and work in the UK, in a bid to alleviate the GP training crisis.

Health Education England (HEE) has signed a ‘memorandum of understanding’ with Apollo Hospitals, a major hospital chain in India, which will involve the ‘mutual exchange of clinical staff’. The move is expected to involve the transfer of around 400 Indian GPs to England, however, HEE maintained that the details of memorandum is ‘still under discussion’.

Apollo Hospitals currently offer a diploma in family medicine which is accredited by the RCGP. The news comes after it was revealed that government is behind on its pledge to increase the GP workforce by 5,000 by 2020.

Nonetheless, international leaders have warned that the move could endanger both patient and clinicians’ safety.

Commenting on the plans, Dr Ramesh Mehta, president of the British Association of Physicians of Indian Origin, said: “I think it is a pity that HEE have to go abroad to recruit for GP positions. Unfortunately, the training of GPs has not been managed properly over the years.”

A HEE statement said: “England and India have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) as a starting point to exploring how both countries can benefit from the mutual exchange of ideas. The details of the MoU are still in discussion, once we have further confirmed information we will share with you.”