Brexit: EU-trained doctors could leave UK

8 years ago - Published in Finance, Fundamental Analysis

Four in 10 European doctors are considering leaving Britain following the Brexit vote, new research suggests. A British Medical Association (BMA) survey found that 42% are thinking of quitting the UK, with a further 23% still unsure if they will stay. The BMA warned it could spell “disaster” as the National Health Service (NHS) was already facing “crippling staff shortages”. 

Among NHS staff in England, 59,796 are from the European Union, according to NHS Digital, including 10,267 doctors – around 6.6% of the UK medical workforce. “Diseases know no country borders, and medicine is an international profession, with global co-operation in research, drug development, standards of patient care, and free movement of doctors around the world.” 

European doctors feel significantly less appreciated by the UK government now than before the referendum. Their average rating on that score has fallen from seven out of ten before the vote to leave the EU to less than four out of ten now.

Similarly, they also feel a lot less committed to working in the UK since the Brexit vote. Their average rating on that question has fallen from nine out of ten before the referendum to six out of ten.

The BMA said that recruiting from Europe had been vital in dealing with staff shortages in the health service. Dr Mark Porter, council chair at the BMA, said: “While thousands of overseas and EU doctors work across the UK to provide the best possible care for patients, many from the EU are left feeling unwelcome and uncertain about whether they and their families will have the right to live and work in the UK after Brexit. “These are the people who staff our hospitals and GP surgeries, look after vulnerable patients in the community and conduct vital medical research to help save lives. “Many have dedicated years of service to healthcare in the UK, so it’s extremely concerning that so many are considering leaving.”

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has said the NHS should train and hire more British doctors after the country leaves the EU and has pledged to increase the number of medical school places by 25% from 2018.