Overseas doctors 'facing terror discrimination'
Friday, 20 Jul 2007 12:05
Overseas doctors face more stringent checks
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Overseas doctors working in the NHS could face discrimination as a result of recent terror attacks in the UK, a leading medical journal has warned.
In June two attacks on a popular London nightclub and Glasgow airport were attempted and eight people were arrested, all of which were reported to work within the NHS.
Police revealed that none of those initially arrested in connection with the failed attacks were British and it appears that many trained in the Middle East or India before moving to the UK.
These revelations have raised concerns about the way overseas doctors are recruited and more stringent checks for migrants wanting to work in the NHS were announced on July 4th.
An editorial in the Lancet medical journal warns that there is the possibility overseas doctors working in the UK could now come under fire.
"The danger now is that the actions of a few will be used as an excuse to discriminate against the many overseas doctors who currently work, or want to work, in the NHS, since those involved in the attempted attack originally came to the UK from India and the Middle East," it states.
The editorial also warns that overseas doctors who want to work in the UK could face unjust treatment in their applications.
"Such a situation is shameful since the NHS has long relied on overseas doctors to fill workforce gaps...this role, along with the enormous contribution overseas doctors have made to the NHS, should not be forgotten as the UK considers existing and future recruitment policies," it said.
"Although criminal checks may be a necessary counterterrorism measure, discriminating against doctors on the basis of race, religion, or country of birth is not."