The Uncertainty
21 May 2008
Dr kamal Sidhu, GP Sunderland
Send response to journal: Re: The Uncertainty
The House of lords ruling that declared immigration changes for IMGs as unlawful should serve as a lesson to the authorities.The changes were a political gimmick in response to the looming job crisis that resulted from poor workforce planning, job cuts and MMC fiasco.As a consequence, hundreds of families were uprooted.Many left the country to go back with their career hopes dashed and drowned in financial debts.Some had to compromise on their training which is unheard of for British Graduates.This second class treatment met out to Non EU Graduates did little to help the situation.Instead, it has created an atmosphere of distrust and uncertainty for IMGs.Furthermore, The department of health did not try to negotiate an amicable solution and kept pushing for appeals until it could do nothing more.
On the positive side, the fight helped IMGs to demonstrate unity and put up symbolic resistance to unfair and unjust abrupt changes. No one disagreed that the system needed regulation but the way it was done is shameful for a developed country that has always stood for its values.
I now think twice before even medium term commitments as I may wake up and find that I have been asked to leave the country because rules have been changed. I hope wisdom prevails.
Competing interests: I am a overseas trained doctor not directly affected by these changes
Wednesday, 21 May 2008
Pulse letters
Overseas doctors ruling is welcome news
20 May 08
The recent House of Lords judgment declaring immigration changes for overseas doctors unfair, though largely ignored by the media, is welcome news among otherwise disheartening developments in general practice.
Many of those who were affected by these poorly thought-out changes have already left the country with financial, social and psychological scars. The trauma they were put though cannot be compensated.
Still, this ruling is a symbolic and moral victory for international medical graduates. Efforts made by the British Association of Physicians of Indian Origin, which was a little-known organisation before this, are certainly commendable. It is also a lesson to international medical graduates who had simply given up, and those people who chose to ignore the issue as it did not directly affect them.
I sincerely hope the Department of Health learns its lesson and apologises to those doctors whose careers it played with in a knee-jerk reaction to the jobs crisis. I still wonder if the UK's credibility, so eroded by these events, will ever be regained.
Dr Kamal Sidhu, Sunderland
20 May 08
The recent House of Lords judgment declaring immigration changes for overseas doctors unfair, though largely ignored by the media, is welcome news among otherwise disheartening developments in general practice.
Many of those who were affected by these poorly thought-out changes have already left the country with financial, social and psychological scars. The trauma they were put though cannot be compensated.
Still, this ruling is a symbolic and moral victory for international medical graduates. Efforts made by the British Association of Physicians of Indian Origin, which was a little-known organisation before this, are certainly commendable. It is also a lesson to international medical graduates who had simply given up, and those people who chose to ignore the issue as it did not directly affect them.
I sincerely hope the Department of Health learns its lesson and apologises to those doctors whose careers it played with in a knee-jerk reaction to the jobs crisis. I still wonder if the UK's credibility, so eroded by these events, will ever be regained.
Dr Kamal Sidhu, Sunderland
Monday, 12 May 2008
Overseas Docs victory in House of Lords
It is a symbolic and moral victory- a slap at the face of DOH.It also proves a point to those overseas doctors who do not believe that we could do anything. What is shameful is that DOH instead of negotiating with IMGs, chose to appeal again and again. Changes did cause lots of irreversible damage but hopefully, DOH will think twice before embarking on any more such abrupt and unjust changes
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